Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 20
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Uzbekistan will increase production of polyethylene to 650,000 tons a year, the Ministry of Economy of Uzbekistan told Trend on Sept. 20.
The country is currently producing over 510,000 tons per year, of which 387,000 tons fall for the share of Ustyurt gas chemical complex (Uzbek-Korean joint venture Uz-Kor Gas Chemical) and about 130,000 – for Shurtan GCC.
The Ministry of Economy noted that it was planned to reach the current level of production by 2020 by launching the Ustyurt GCC. However, as a result of the enterprise being commissioned for three years and three months ahead of schedule, the forecast indicators have been achieved earlier.
Now, with the planned creation of the largest technological cluster in the Central Asia on the basis of a new gas chemical complex, at least additional 100,000-150,000 tons of ethylene glycol and polyethylene will be produced.
In addition, it is expected that production of polypropylene in Uzbekistan will also grow from the current 83,000 tons per year (produced at Uz-Kor Gas Chemical) to over 300,000 tons per year. The new GCC will produce additional 200,000-250,000 tons of polypropylene.
According to international news agencies, the demand for polypropylene, the second most common polymer in the world, is increasing by 4-6 percent annually. In 2015, world consumption of polypropylene exceeded 60 million tons.
Chairman of Board of Uzbekneftegaz Ulugbek Sayidov earlier said that Uzbekistan is going to create the largest technological cluster in the Central Asia. He added that Uzbekneftegaz together with foreign partners has already started working out a project to create a technological cluster by building a modern gas chemical complex and developing on its basis related industries aimed at high added value production.
It is noteworthy that half of the investments attracted to the Uzbek economy are in the oil and gas industry. The volume of investments in 2016 amounted to $2.99 billion, reaching $3.63 billion and by the end of 2017, $2.65 billion of which was foreign direct investment and loans.
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