1

PRE- FEASIBILITY REPORT

OF

ANDHRA PRADESH PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEX

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

GAIL (India) Limited is the largest state-owned Natural Gas transportation and distribution

company in India. It has following business segments: Natural Gas, Liquid Hydrocarbon,

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Transmission, Petrochemical, City Gas Distribution, Exploration

and Production and Electricity Generation. GAIL has been conferred with the Maharatna

status by the Government of India.

GAIL owns and operates Petrochemical complexes at Pata, UP and they have also constructed another Petchem complex at Lepetkata, Assam. GAIL also has a share in the Dual Feed Cracker complex at OPaL, Dahej. GAIL presently has the following product portfolio from their Petchem complexes:

LLDPE

HDPE

PP

Butene-1 ( internally used) HPCL is a Government of India Enterprise with a Navratna Status, and a Forbes 2000 and Global Fortune 500 company. HPCL owns & operates 2 major refineries producing wide variety of petroleum fuels & specialties, one in Mumbai (West Coast) of 6.5 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) capacity and the other in Visakhapatnam, (East Coast) with a capacity of 8.3 MMTPA. HPCL also owns and operates the largest Lube Refinery in the country producing Lube Base Oils of international standards, with a capacity of 428 TMT. HPCL in collaboration with M/s Mittal Energy Investments Pvt. Ltd. is operating a 9 MMTPA capacity Refinery at Bathinda in Punjab.

GAIL (India) Limited (‘GAIL’) along with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (‘HPCL’) is

exploring the opportunity for setting up a Greenfield Petrochemical Complex in Andhra

Pradesh to produce 1 MMTPA of ethylene and ethylene derivatives based on imported

ethane and / or Naphtha available in domestic market.

2.0 PROJECT LOCATION AND DETAILS

The proposed Petrochemical complex will be located at A.V. Nagaram village, Thondangi

Mandal of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. The proposed complex is spread across

2000 acres. Nearest airport is Rajahmundry (87 km) from proposed site.

Sub-soil predominantly comprises of sandy/sandy clay/clayey sand soil with very loose/very

soft to very dense/hard consistency. Sandy soil is predominant up to 10.0m depth below

Natural ground level (NGL) and below which the strata is generally clayey. Most of the

boreholes shows fairly competent stratum at shallow depth except in few where very

loose to loose or very soft to firm soil exists up to 8.0-10.0m depth. Available sandy soil in

the plot area is suitable for backfilling in foundations and grading purpose. However,

available sandy clay/clayey sand shall be tested for its suitability.

Power source

33KV /132 KV Power source from AP Transmission Corporation at Pithapuram substation is

available near the site at a distance of about 25 Km.

Construction and Permanent water source

Site has proximity with the source of water. Polavarum left main Canal (AP irrigation) is

approximately 12 KM from the proposed site, Samalkot is an alternate source of water

which is around 28 KM from the proposed site.

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Environmental requirements

No Ecologically sensitive area like national monument / bird sanctuaries/ major settlement is

located within 25 Km of site.

Defence requirements

No Defence base within 25 Km of the site.

Downstream Industry

No downstream industry related to Petrochemical in the vicinity.

Topography of site & development requirement:

The topography of the proposed area is flat terrain with minor sand dune hillocks which

includes one major Creek running across the proposed site.

Project Description

The process facilities with capacities are described in Table 1.

Table 1: Process Unit Capacities

Sr.no. Process Units Capacity, KTPA

1. Cracker Unit 1000

2. C4/C5 Hydrogenation unit 390

3. Pyrolysis Gasoline Hydrogenation Unit 320

4. Benzene Extraction Unit 70

5. Mono-Ethylene Glycol(MEG) Unit 700

6. LLDPE / HDPE 450

7. Butene-1 25

8. Chloro Alkali 177 (Chlorine Basis)

9. VCM 300

10. PVC 300

11. Poly-Propylene Unit 315

Material Balance

Overall material balance is given in Table 2.

Table 2: Overall Material Balance

S.No. Feed (KTPA)

1 Ethane 625.0

2 Naphtha 1045.0

3 Propane 275.0

4 Oxygen 436.2

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5 Water 104.7

6 Salt 322.2

7 Losses (126.8)

S.No. Product

1 Hydrogen ** 91.9

2 Fuel Gas ** 326.9

3 Benzene 68.9

4 PGO 26.7

5 HPG 104.8

6 CBFS 36.6

7 MEG 700.0

8 DEG 57.8

9 TEG 3.0

10 PVC 300.0

11 Caustic 201.4

12 LLDPE / HDPE 450.0

13 PP 313.3

3.0 Process Description

3.1 Cracker and Associated Units

Cracker unit is the heart of the total complex, which gives feed to all the downstream end

product units.

Furnace section:

Cracking furnace or often know as brain behind the steam cracker unit, is the most

important and complex section of the plant. In this section preheated feed stock is getting

mixed with process steam and then sent to convection coils for further heating against flue

gases generated in radiant zone of the furnace. Feed stock is then sent to radiant section

coil where main reaction takes place. Heat of furnace effluents is recovered in the transfer

line exchangers in which very high pressure steam is getting produced and being utilized for

various purposes.

Oil separation and Cracked gas quenching:

Cracking effluent (Cracked gas) is combined from all the furnaces and sent to Primary/

Gasoline Fractionator. Typically in gas cracker (Ethane), Gasoline Fractionator can be

avoided as the there is very less quantity of heavy material (C9+) present in the cracked gas

stream. In Primary/Gasoline fractionation, Oil which is present in cracked gas is separated

and utilized for providing heat duty to several users. Separated oil is sent to battery limit as

slop oil/ PFO product.

Temperature of Cracked gas coming from Gasoline Fractionator is typically 102-105 deg C.

Cracked gas is further cooled in Quench water column with the quench water. Cracked gas

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leaving the Quench water column is typically at 42-45 deg c. In quench water column,

Process water and gasoline fraction is separated from cracked gas. Process water is again

utilized for generating process steam for steam cracking.

Cracked gas compression and drying:

This is often referred as heart of the steam cracker unit. Cooled cracked is now compressed

in Cracked gas compressor. Cracked gas compressor typically compresses cracked gas to

the level of ~33-36 kg/cm2g in a 5stage machine. New low pressure technologies are also

utilizing cracked gas compressor pressure level of as low as ~ 23 kg/cm2g in 3 stage

machine. Pressure level of compressed cracked gas is solely depending on the

configuration of separation section. Cracked gas compressor section caustic scrubbing of

cracked is also given which removes CO2 and H2S from the cracked gas as low as 100 ppm

CO2 and H2S. Typically Caustic scrubber is placed at the pressure level of 7-18 Kg/cm2g

depending upon the cracked gas compressor stages.

In this section, cracked gas and cracked gas condensate which being generated in liquid

knockouts are sent to cracked gas dryer and cracked gas condensate dryer. Dryer is

removing moisture from the cracked gas and condensate to the level of as low as 1 mol

ppm. Drying of cracked gas is required for avoiding hydrate (ice) formation in the chilling

sections of steam cracker unit.

Front end Separation of cracked gas:

This system derives which frond end separation is to be configured based on the processing

objective and economics of the steam cracker. Front end systems are Depropaniser,

Deethaniser and demethaniser. Every licensor tries to optimize their plant by keeping them

at best suitable place.

Acetylene Convertor:

Acetylene convertor is provided for converting acetylene in to ethylene. CO present in the

feed enhances the selectivity towards ethylene over ethane. In the front end depropaniser

and Deethaniser scheme, Hydrogen and CO are present in the feed but in Front end

demethaniser, hydrogen is supplied externally. Typical spec of Acetylene in polymer grade

ethylene is 1 ppm (vol).

Hydrogen & Methane Separation:

Hydrogen and methane present in the cracked gas are separated in the coldest section of

the steam cracker unit. Hydrogen rich gas is recovered in the series of chilling and knockout

while methane rich fraction is recovered from demethaniser top.

Ethylene fractionation and Propylene fractionation:

C2 fraction from DeEthaniser top goes to Ethylene Fractionator from where, Ethylene is

recovered and ethane is recycled back to furnaces. C3 fraction from Depropanizer top or

DeEthaniser bottoms is sent to propylene Fractionator from where propylene is recovered

and propane is recycled back to furnaces. Propylene fractionator depending upon the

technology licensor can be one or two columns.

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Refrigeration system:

Typically in the Cracker unit, two main refrigeration systems are present, ethylene

refrigeration and propylene refrigeration. The two types ethylene refrigeration cycles are

provided one is open loop (heat pump configuration) other is closed loop (conventional

cycle). Propylene refrigeration is typically closed loop cycle. Licensor now a days also

provide multi component refrigeration system, with the combination of methane, ethylene

and propylene.

Debutanizer and C4 hydrogenation:

From debutanizer, C4 and C5 are separated. C5+ fraction is sent to PGHU unit and mixed

C4 fraction is sent to C4 hydrogenation unit. In configuration-1, as the quantity of C6+

component is very less. C4/C5 can be separated together and sent C4/C5 hydrogenation. In

C4 or C4/C5 hydrogenation, total hydrogenation of feed stream is taking place and

hydrogenated stream is sent to furnace as a recycle feed.

3.2 Pyrolysis Gasoline hydrogenation unit (PGHU):

This section is valid only for configuration-2. Feed to this unit is coming from the cracker unit,

which is C5+ fraction.

In first stage hydrogenation, dienes and styrenes present in the feed are selectively

hydrogenated and converted to olefins and ethyl benzene. Hydrogenated feed is sent to

dehexanizer, which is then separated in to C5/C6 fraction and C7 + fraction. C7/C8 fraction

is further separated from C9+ fraction in deoctanizer. C7/C8 which are coming from top are

cooled and condensed and then sent to Battery limit as Hydrogenated Pyrolysis gasoline.

C9+ fraction which is a bottom product is cooled and sent to battery limit. C9+ fraction is also

used as wash oil in cracker unit. Separated C5/C6 fraction, is further Hydrogenated in 2nd

stage gasoline hydrogenation for removing Dienes and olefins which are still present in the

C5/C6 fraction and desulphurization. Hydrogenated C5/C6 fraction is separated in to C5

fraction and C6 fraction in Depentanizer. C5 Fraction is recycled back to cracker unit and C6

fraction is used as a feed to Benzene extraction unit.

3.3 Benzene Extraction Unit (BzEU)

C6 fraction is used as a feed, from which benzene is extracted. Extraction is done By N-

Methyl-Pyrrolidone solvent.

C6 fraction is fed to Extractive distillation/ raffinate column. Top section is the raffinate

section and the bottom section is the extractive distillation column. Feed and solvent are

washed counter currently by which benzene is completely absorbed in the solvent. Toluene

and other heavy hydrocarbons are vaporized due to reboiling. Vaporized components go to

raffinate column in which, they are further separated from the solvent component. Raffinate

column overhead is then cooled and condensed. Part of the condensed overhead is sent

back to column and other is sent to cracker unit as a raffinate product. Benzene + solvent

stream is then fed to benzene stripper, in which benzene is separated from solvent and sent

to battery limit storage.

3.4 LLDPE / HDPE

Catalyst preparation

Ziegler Catalyst: High activity Ziegler catalyst is used for the production of narrow molecular

weight distribution products. This catalyst is supplied ready-to-use.

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Polymerisation: Reaction Loop

The reactor is designed to ensure good mixing and a uniform temperature within the

fluidised bed. Polymer particles grow within the fluidised bed over a residence time of

several hours. Operating conditions within the reactor are mild. The reactor is made from

carbon steel and has three main sections:

A bottom section with a gas distributor to ensure homogeneous fluidisation. A cylindrical

section containing the fluidised bed and equipped with catalyst injection and polymer

withdrawal facilities. A conical bulb top section where gas velocity reduces, returning

entrained polymer powder particles to the fluidised bed.

The gas leaving the reactor contains unreacted monomer, co monomers, hydrogen and

inerts (primarily nitrogen and ethane). Conversion of monomers per pass is proximately 3%.

Any fine particles leaving the reactor with the exit gas are collected by cyclones and

recycled to the reactor. This greatly reduces fouling in the reactor loop and also prevents

product contamination caused by particles formed in the loop, which may have different

properties to the target grade. This is one of the reasons why the Innovene process makes

such consistently high quality, gel-free products.

The gas then enters the first heat exchanger where the heat of polymerisation is removed

before passing to the Enhanced High Productivity Separator. This specially designed

vessel separates the condensed liquid, typically up to 15% by weight of the stream, from the

loop gas, which is fed to the main fluidisation gas compressor. This provides the volumetric

flow necessary to achieve the required fluidisation velocity in the reactor. The separated

liquid is then pumped into the reactor via proprietary liquid injection nozzles into the heat of

the fluidised bed.

In the reactor, pressure and gas composition are controlled continuously by varying the flow

of feedstock into the reaction loop. The relative proportions of the feedstock are adjusted to

meet the specification of the required polymer product. This is achieved using on-line

analysers for hydrogen, ethylene and co monomers. A purge is provided to prevent

accumulation of inerts.

Polymer Withdrawal and Degassing

The polymer powder is withdrawn from the reactor by simple, robust proprietary lateral

discharge system and passed on to the primary degasser, where a part of the gas is flashed

off, filtered and recycled to the main loop via the recycle compressor.

The polymer powder is transferred to the secondary degasser, where most part of the

residual hydrocarbon is removed and separated in the cryogenic Vent Recovery Unit. The

degassed powder collected in the secondary degasser passes to a purge column, where

trace hydrocarbons are removed and any residual catalyst activity is killed. Powder is then

transferred to the extruder via an intermediate surge bin, mounted directly above the

extruder, which allows for routine extruder maintenance.

Grade Changes

On-line DCS transition control ensures consistently rapid and reliable grade changes.

Changes of grade are made quickly and easily, with the minimum loss of throughput and the

minimum generation of wide-specification product.

Finishing: Product Blending and Extrusion (Pelletising)

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Polyethylene powder is transferred pneumatically to the product powder silo. Powder

master batch incorporating additives is prepared in mixers or may alternatively be supplied in

flexible intermediate bulk containers. The additives are commercially available but the

formulations, which are part of Innovene technology, will be disclosed when a licence

agreement has been signed. Virgin powder and additives are weigh-fed into the extruder.

Pellets are extruded under water and are then dried before being conveyed by air to storage.

The pellets conveyed from the pelletising section are homogenised in static homogenisation

silos. After homogenisation, the pellets are transferred to storage silos.

3.5 Butene-1

The dimerization reaction is activated by the mixing of two specific catalysts. The first one,

named T.E.A, is an alkyl-aluminium compound, the second one, named LC 2253 (AXENS

proprietary catalyst) is made of a titanium compound and a promotor.

Both catalysts are separately stored in diluted T.E.A. day drum and LC 2253 storage drum,

filtered and then pumped by metering pumps to the Reactor.

The diluted alkyl-aluminium catalyst (T.E.A) and the diluted LC 2253 catalyst are fed to the

reactor 32-R-201 through the pumparound loops.

In case hexane is used (during start-up), it can be dried before using via Hexane Dryer,

before being sent to Washing Hexane Drum. The regeneration of the dryer is carried out with

hot nitrogen heated up in Nitrogen Heater. Effluents from regeneration are then sent to flare.

Nitrogen Heater ensures also the drying of Pumparound Loops after maintenance with hot

nitrogen.

Reaction / Catalyst removal sections

The ethylene feedstock coming from Polymer Unit downstream of purification section or

directly from cracker is mixed with the unconverted ethylene which is recycled from the

recycle column reflux drum. The ethylene stream enters the reactor through a distributor,

which improves the dispersion of the ethylene in the liquid.

The reaction is exothermic: the heat of reaction is removed by the pumparound coolers

installed on recirculation lines around the reactor. The recirculation is maintained by

pumparound pumps. The liquid reactor effluent withdrawn from bottom of reactor must be

vaporized to remove all the traces of catalysts. Part of the vaporization occurs in the

vaporizers by steam condensation; the vapor and liquid phases are separated in the flash

drum. The last step of vaporization is achieved through the thin film evaporator which is fed

under flow-control reset by the level of the flash drum.

The residual liquid is collected in the evaporator receiver drum and feeds under level control

the spent catalyst drums which are connected to the flare and steam traced to remove the

remaining light compounds. The remaining liquid is either sent to isocontainers and then to

incinerator or sent to Fuel Oil. The vapors from the thin film evaporator flow through the

evaporator K.O. drum which traps any liquid carry-over. The vapors are then mixed to those

got from the flash drum and to the vapor flow from the reactor top. The product, currently

stripped from the catalysts, is condensed through the recycle column feed condenser and

feeds the recycle column feed surge drum.

To stabilize the product before vaporizing it, pure amine is injected to the reactant effluents

filters. This prevents any detrimental isomerization of butene-1 into isobutene and butene-2,

which could be promoted by temperature downstream, during the vaporization step, without

amine injection.

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The amine, unloaded from drums by the amine unloading pump, is stored in the amine

storage drum, and sent to the process by the amine pumps.

Distillation section

The liquid phase from recycle column feed surge drum is pumped to the recycle column.

A partial condensation of its overhead vapors takes place in the recycle column condenser.

Due to the presence of methane and ethane in the feedstock, a slight venting to Naphtha

Cracker is necessary to prevent from any incondensable vapor accumulation. The vapor

(mainly ethylene) is recycled back under pressure control to the reactor feed line.

The reboiling of the column is ensured in the recycle column reboiler under temperature

control resetting the steam flow rate to the reboiler. The bottom product of the column is

routed under flow-control, reset by level, to the butene-1 column.

The butene-1 column duty is to provide the specification in heavy components of butene-1

product. The butene-1 product is withdrawn as liquid distillate from the column overhead by

means of the butene-1 column reflux pumps under level control of the butene-1 column

reflux drum.

The C6+ cut is withdrawn, at the butene-1 column bottom. The C6+ cut is routed, after

cooling through the C6+ product cooler, to the C6+ storage drum.

Product drums storage

The butene-1 leaving the distillation section can be routed to any of the storage drums "on-

spec" drum or an “off-spec” drum after has been cooled down at 40 deg. C in the butene-1

cooler.

The butene-1 on-spec product is routed to OSBL storage tank after analysis, by means of

the pump. The off-spec product is routed to C4 mix storage, but can also be recycled in the

butene-1 column, if it’s content in C6 and heavier is too high. A part of this butene-1 product

is used for flushing pumparound pumps, reactor effluent pumps, passivation pumps and

ethylene distributor by means of flushing pumps. Another part of this butene-1 is used as

carrier or T.E.A. and LC 2253 catalysts to the reactor.

The Membrane Cell process is proposed to be adopted wherein the electrolysis of NaCl

takes place forming Chlorine and Sodium which further forms Sodium Hydroxide and

Chlorine.

Process Chemistry:

In this process, the anode and cathode are separated by a water-impermeable ion-

conducting membrane. Brine solution flows through the anode compartment where

chloride ions are oxidised to chlorine gas. The sodium ions migrate through the membrane

to the cathode compartment which contains flowing caustic soda solution. The

demineralized water added to the catholyte circuit is hydrolysed, releasing hydrogen gas and

hydroxide ions. The sodium and hydroxide ions combine to produce caustic soda which is

typically brought to a concentration of 32-35% by recirculating the solution before it is

discharged from the cell. The membrane prevents the migration of chloride ions from the

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anode compartment to the cathode compartment; therefore, the caustic soda solution

produced does not contain salt as in the diaphragm cell process. Depleted brine is

discharged from the anode compartment and resaturated with salt. If needed, to reach a

concentration of 50% caustic soda, the caustic liquor produced has to be concentrated by

evaporation (using steam).

Auxiliary Facilities required for the Unit is as below:

• Salt unloading and storage

• Brine purification and resaturation

• Chlorine processing

Caustic processing: The Membrane Cell process is proposed to be adopted wherein the

electrolysis of NaCl takes place forming Chlorine and Sodium which further forms Sodium

Hydroxide and Chlorine.

Process Chemistry:

In this process, the anode and cathode are separated by a water-impermeable ion-

conducting membrane. Brine solution flows through the anode compartment where

chloride ions are oxidised to chlorine gas. The sodium ions migrate through the membrane

to the cathode compartment which contains flowing caustic soda solution. The

demineralized water added to the catholyte circuit is hydrolysed, releasing hydrogen gas and

hydroxide ions. The sodium and hydroxide ions combine to produce caustic soda which is

typically brought to a concentration of 32-35% by recirculating the solution before it is

discharged from the cell. The membrane prevents the migration of chloride ions from the

anode compartment to the cathode compartment; therefore, the caustic soda solution

produced does not contain salt as in the diaphragm cell process. Depleted brine is

discharged from the anode compartment and resaturated with salt. If needed, to reach a

concentration of 50% caustic soda, the caustic liquor produced has to be concentrated by

evaporation (using steam).

Auxiliary Facilities required for the Unit is as below:

• Salt unloading and storage

• Brine purification and resaturation

• Chlorine processing

• Caustic processing.

3.6 VCM Unit

Process Chemistry:

EDC is thermally dehydrochlorinated (cracked) to VCM and Hydrogen Chloride (HCl). VCM

is recovered as high purity monomer suitable for storage or shipment in carbon steel vessels

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and suitable for polymerization to all grades of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) without further

purification. The coproduct HCl is recovered as gaseous, high purity, anhydrous HCl at a

pressure suitable for direct feed to the Oxychlorination process.

Process Description: Oxyhydrochlorination:

The Oxychlorination (OHCl) process combines HCl with ethylene and oxygen to produce

ethylene dichloride (EDC). Ethylene and hydrogen chloride feeds flow upward through the

Reactor and in the presence of the fluidized catalyst react to produce EDC according to the

following reaction:

C2H4+ 2HCl + 1/2 O2 C2H4Cl2 + H2O Ethylene + HCl + Oxygen EDC + Water + Heat

The HCL received from the VCM recovery and purification section contains a small amount

of acetylene that is reacted with hydrogen to form ethylene and a small amount of ethane in

the HCl hydrogenation reactor. This reaction is highly exothermic and takes place at a

temperature of 220 to 240oC in a fluid bed of catalyst impregnated with cupric chloride. To

ensure maximum conversion and high purity product EDC, the reaction temperature is

closely controlled by the use of the fluid bed reactor. The reaction products are recovered by

condensation in the recovery unit. The gases leaving the reactor pass through a quench

column where un-reacted HCl is scrubbed out with a recycle water stream. The scrubbed

gases emerging from the top of the quench column pass through a crude EDC condenser

where they are cooled and the bulk of the EDC and water is condensed. The EDC and water

phases are stripped with a small amount of nitrogen in the CO2 Stripper to remove dissolved

carbon dioxide, and then separated in the crude EDC decanter.

EDC Recovery

A small portion of the cooled vent gas stream then passes through a chiller where additional

EDC and water are condensed. The vapor/liquid mixture from the chiller flows to a

separator. The liquid from the separator flows by gravity to the crude EDC decanter. The

gaseous phase is discharged to the vent gas incinerator.

EDC Manufacturing and Purification

The EDC purification unit consists of three distillation columns which separate water, light

ends, and heavy ends from the crude EDC in order to supply purified EDC to the EDC

cracking furnaces. The dry crude EDC from the heads column bottoms and the treated

recycle EDC from the VCM purification unit are fed to the hiboil column. Connected to this

column is a reactor that produces EDC by direct chlorination of ethylene. Chlorine and

ethylene are fed to the high temperature direct chlorination (HTDC) reactor under flow

control. The reaction of chlorine and ethylene proceeds according to the equation:

C2H4 + Cl2 C2H4Cl2

Ethylene + Chlorine EDC + Heat

EDC Cracking

Purified EDC is fed to the EDC pyrolysis (cracking) furnaces where it is thermally cracked to

vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride by the following equation:

C2H4Cl2 C2H3Cl + HCl

Ethylene Dichloride Vinyl Chloride + Hydrogen Chloride

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The pyrolysis reaction takes place at a temperature of 480 - 510oC and pressure of 0.9 –1.2

MPag in a gas fired cabin-type furnace.

VCM Purification

The VCM Purification unit consists of three distillation columns for fractionation of HCl, VCM,

and EDC. The HCl recovered in the overhead of the HCl column flows to the Oxychlorination

process for conversion to EDC. The bottom from the HCl column flows to the VCM column

where VCM is separated from the un-reacted EDC.

3.7 PVC Unit

Process Chemistry

Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM), which boils at -13.4 C at atmospheric pressure, is

polymerised in a batch process by dispersing the monomer in water under its own pressure

in a stirred reactor. The reactor contents are heated to the required temperature (typically

56.5°C): the initiator then starts to decompose to give free radicals and the monomer in the

droplets starts to polymerise. The reaction is exothermic, and the heat passes into the water

and is removed by two methods: circulated cooling water in the jacket and cooling water in a

condenser on the reactor top. PVC is insoluble in its monomer and once formed,

precipitates out in the monomer droplets as submicron particles.

Process Description

Polymerisation:

A specified amount of cooled demineralised water being sealed with nitrogen gas in the tank

is charged into Reactor through a batch meter. The catalysts solution is fed into Reactor.

The specified amount of VCM is also fed into Reactor through a batch meter. The reactor

contents are violently stirred in Reactor, keeping the good suspension condition. After

charging of VCM, a specified amount of hot demineralised water is charged into Reactor so

that temperature of the Reactor contents could reach the set polymerization temperature.

Then, cooling water is supplied into Reactor jacket, baffles and Reflux Condenser at high

rate. The temperature of the reactor contents is so automatically controlled as to be

constant at the set polymerization temperature by adjusting the flow rate of the cooling

water. The PVC slurry in Reactor is blown down through Slurry Discharge Pump into Blow

Down Tank, while recovering the un-reacted VCM gas from Reactor and Blow Down Tank

into VCM Gas Holder. The slurry in Blow down Tank is fed to the Slurry Stripping section

through Stripping Slurry Feed Pump.

Slurry Degassing

The PVC slurry in Reactor is blown down through Slurry Discharge Pump, into Blow Down

Tank, while recovering the un-reacted VCM gas from Reactor and Blow Down Tank into

VCM Gas Holder. The slurry in Blow Down Tank is fed to the Slurry Stripping section

through Stripping Slurry Feed Pump.

Slurry Stripping

After degassing in the Stripper Feed Vessel, the slurry contains 2-3 % of the original VCM

charge. In Stripping Column, the slurry passes over a series of trays where it is stripped with

a counter current flow of steam from a 4-6 barg supply. VCM passes to the LP Recovery

Compressors for recovery. From the base of the column the slurry is pumped through the

Spiral Heat Exchanger to preheat the feed and cool the slurry before it goes to the slurry

tank. The slurry from the stripping column then passes to the slurry storage tank.

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Dryer

Slurry from the Slurry Tank is circulated via a ring main to the centrifuges where it is

dewatered to produce a moist PVC powder. The moist PVC powder then passes to the

Dryer. There are two options for the Drying Technology to be used: either a two stage

Flash/Fluid Bed Dryer, or a Contact Fluid Bed Dryer. The polymer then overflows to the

vibrating screens for removal of any oversize material.

VCM Recovery

In this section, the unreacted VCM is recovered and treated for reuse. The unreacted VCM

recovered from Polymerization section and Slurry Stripping section into VCM Gas Holder is

compressed by VCM Compressors. VCM dissolved in waste water is stripped out by means

of steam-stripping by steam fed to the bottom of Column during falling down from top to

bottom. Water vapour and VCM leaves from the top of column and water vapour is

condensed in Waste Water Condenser and uncondensed VCM is recovered and returned to

Gas Holder. VCM stripped waste water is sent from the bottom of Column to Battery Limit by

Waste Water Discharge Pump after being cooled through Waste Water Heat Exchanger.

Product Handling

Screened material from the screens is conveyed to the bagging hoppers. A medium phase

blowing system is used, and two bagging hoppers. The filled bags are transferred from

Bagging Machine to Palletizer through the conveyor, piled automatically up on the pallet and

stored in existing product warehouse.

3.8 MEG Unit

The plant consists of two water cooled Ethylene oxide (EO) reactors system plus recovery

facilities, ethylene oxide purification and storage facilities, glycol reaction, evaporation and

purification facilities. This Plant will produce 935 KTPA Mono- ethylene Glycol (MEG). There

will be two by products – Di-Ethylene Glycol (DEG) and Tri Ethylene Glycol (TEG). This plant

is designed in single production line based on 8000 operating hours. This plant is divided

into two major sections:

• Ethylene Oxide section.

• Ethylene Glycol Section

3.9 Poly Propylene Unit

Fresh propylene from OSBL is fed through a propylene dryer to the reactor along with the

required catalyst, co-catalyst, hydrogen and stereo-modifier. For production of special

grades with small ethylene content, ethylene vapor is also fed to the reactor.

The polymerization reactors each have a stirrer and drive systems. Polymerization itself is

carried out in a gas phase stirred reaction. Heat removal is managed by evaporative

cooling. Liquid propylene entering the reactor vaporizes and thereby removes the

exothermic reaction energy. Reaction gas is continuously removed from the top of the

reactor and filtered. Reactor overhead vapor (“Recycle Gas”) is condensed and pumped

back to the reactor as coolant. Non-condensable gases (mainly H2 and N2) in the recycle

gas are compressed and also returned to the reactor.

The polypropylene product powder is blown out of the reactor under reactor operation

pressure. The carrier gas and powder pass into the powder discharge vessel where powder

14

and gas are separated. The carrier gas is routed through a cyclone and filter to remove

residual powder, then scrubbed with white oil and sent to compression.

Powder from the discharge vessel is routed via rotary feeders to the purge vessels which are

operating in parallel. Nitrogen is used to purge the powder off residual monomers. The

overhead gas from the purge vessels is sent to a common membrane unit for

monomer/nitrogen recovery. As refrigerant for the membrane unit fresh Propylene is used.

The recovered nitrogen is sent back to the purge vessels for further use. The condensed

monomers from the purge gas are combined with the filtered carrier gas, then sent to

scrubbing and subsequently to carrier gas compression.

The PP powder from the purge vessels is pneumatically conveyed by a closed loop nitrogen

system to the powder silos. The powder product from these silos is fed to the extruder where

polymer powder and additives are mixed, melted, homogenized and extruded through

a die plate, which is heated by hot oil. The extruding section is electrically/steam heated.

Pelletizing of the final product is carried out in an underwater pelletizer where the extruded

polymers - after passing the die plate - are cut by a set of rotating knives. The polymer/

water slurry is transported to a centrifugal dryer where polymer and water are separated.

Water is recycled to a pellet water tank, for which demineralized water is used as make-up.

The cooled pellets (~60°C) are pneumatically conveyed to the pellet blending silos by an air

conveying system. After homogenization in the blending silos the pellets are conveyed to the

bagging and palletizing system.

4.0 Utilities Description

Facilities in utility systems are enlisted below:

Cooling water system

Steam, Power and boiler feed water system

Treated Raw water system

DM Water plant

Condensate polishing system

N2O2 (Nitrogen/Oxygen) Plant

Instrument Air & Plant Air system

Effluent treatment Plant

Flare system

Cooling Water Requirement for the Complex is about 125000 M3/Hr. To carter to the

requirement cooling towers with cell capacity of 4000 M3/Hr each. In order to meet the

steam, power and boiler feed water demands of the facilities installed at the Petrochemical

complex, dedicated steam, power and BFW system will be installed as part of the Captive

Power Plant (CPP). Proposed steam and power requirement is given in Table 3.

15

Table 3: Complex Steam and Power

S.No. CPP configuration with Frame-VI FA machine

1 Process steam requirement VHP steam required from CPP = 0 TPH

HP steam required from CPP = 20 TPH

MP steam required from CPP = 40 TPH

LP steam required from CPP = 70 TPH

Process Power = 150 MW

Utilities = 45.4

2 Grid import 206 MW

3 CPP configuration 1 nos. steam turbine of VHP to HP

extraction cum condensing of 20 MW

design operating at 15.5 MW.

1+1 Boilers of each 220 TPH of VHP steam

generation, operating at 198 TPH.

4 CPP fuel consumption Internally Managed from Fuel gas and Hydrogen

Raw Water Requirement

The treated raw water shall be used for cooling water make up, DM water feed, Service

water, and Drinking water and Fire water requirements through their respective pumps. The

Raw Water shall be sourced through Pumps from Polavarum left main canal (12 Kms).

Raw water shall be made available at complex battery limit from canal via Raw Water

Pumping facility. To meet the complex demand one raw water reservoir of 2100000 m3

capacities is considered. This reservoir is designed to cater the 21 days of raw water

demand. The reservoir is provided to ensure uninterrupted supply of raw water to the

complex. The raw water from the reservoir shall be softened, treated for organic and

biological matter, pH adjusted and filtered in a raw water treatment plant to obtain clarified

water. The treated water would be stored in treated water reservoir which would carter to

about 12 hrs of storage. Treated raw water system is given in Table 4.

Table 4: Treated Raw Water System

System Quantity Capacity

Raw water intake well and pump house in

the river.

Pump House Dimensions 25(L)

x 10(W) x 8(H) M

Raw Water Intake pumps 4 + 2 Nos. 1000 m3/hr @ 7.0 kg/cm2 g

Raw Water Pipeline, CS 3 LPE 1 Nos. 48” 13 Kms (Total Length)

Raw Water Reservoir 1 No. 2100000 M3

Raw Water Treatment Plant 1 No. 3900 M3 / Hr

Treated Raw Water Reservoir 1 No. 48000 M3

16

DM Water/Oxygen/Instrument & Plant Air Requirement

The normal requirement of DM water is about 210 M3/Hr of DM water and 590 M3/Hr of net

raw water generation.

The requirement of Oxygen is 1450 TPD (Design) and that of Nitrogen is Normal – 12776 NM3/Hr and Max – 20000 NM3/Hr. Oxygen is required in MEG unit as a raw material. The design requirement of Instrument air and plant air is about 6000 NM3/Hr and 5500

NM3/Hr respectively. Effluent Treatment Plant The Effluent treatment plant is shall take care the following effluent quantity.

Oily Effluent 250 M3/Hr.

Wet air oxidation unit to treat spent Caustic of about 2 M3/Hr

Various Effluents generated from the complex shall be treated in a centralized ETP. The various effluents sent to the ETP broadly consist of the following:

Oily Water Sewerage

Contaminated Rain Water Sewerage

Spent Caustic Stream

Sanitary Effluent Flare System

A centralized demountable flare system is proposed for the facility. A Demountable flare system provides flexible flaring operations to so that you can place multiple risers on a single support structure. They also allow you to perform maintenance to the tip at grade with minimal use of personnel at elevation.

3 Risers are presently envisaged in the flare:

Flare gas from Cracker

Flare gas from polymer units

Flare gas from storage facilities

Table 5: Flare System

Flare for EB / Styrene and Cracker 68”, 120 M

Flare for Polymer Units 34”, 150 M

LP Flare for Storage Tanks 28”, 120 M

17

5.0 OFFSITE DESCRIPTION

Offsite facilities will include storage vessels / tanks / sphere for feed, intermediates feed, Off

spec intermediate feed & products, pumping facilities, loading / unloading facilities and

auxiliary facilities like boil off gas compression system, emergency vaporization / heating

system / vapor recovery system etc. Offsite storage summary is given in Table 6.

Table 6: Offsite Storage Summary

Service Phase Capacity /

Nos.

Type of

storage

Location Basis of capacity

Ethane Liquid 100000 M3

x 2 Nos.

DWST At the

KSPL port

2 Ship Parcel of

87000 M3 each.

Which will carter to

about 28 days of

Cracker Operation

Propane Liquid 35000 M3 x

2 Nos.

DWST At the

KSPL port

2 Ship Parcel of

30000 M3 each.

Which will carter to

about 41 days of

Cracker Operation.

Ethane

Buffer

Liquid 1900 M3 x 2

Nos.

Sphere In

Complex

1 Day

Propane

Buffer

Liquid 900 M3 x 2

Nos.

Bullet In

Complex

1 Day

Naphtha Liquid 16500 M3 x

2 Nos.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In

Complex

7 days

Hexene-1 Liquid 1700 M3 x

1 No.

Cone roof

Nitrogen

Blanketing

Tank

In

Complex

18

Table 6: Offsite Storage Summary

Service Phase Capacity /

Nos.

Type of

storage

Location Basis of capacity

Pentane Liquid 250 M3 x 1

No.

Bullet In

Complex

30 days

Hexane Liquid 500 M3 x 1

No.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In

Complex

30 days

Salt Solid 15 KTPA Open

Storage

CA Unit 15 Days

Intermediate

Ethylene Liquid 24000 M3 x

2 Nos.

DWST In Complex

7 days

Propylene Liquid 3250 M3 x

5 Nos.

Bullet In Complex

7 days

Butene-1 Liguid 1517 M3 x

1 No.

Mounded

Bullet

In Complex

7 Days

C4 Mix Liquid 2500 M3 x

2 Nos.

Sphere In Complex

3 days

Offspec

C4 Mix

Liquid 1700 M3 x

1 No.

Sphere In Complex

12 Hrs

C6 Cut

(BzeU

feed)

Liquid 1700 M3 x

2 Nos.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In Complex

3 days

Off spec

Ethylene

Liquid 1767 M3 x

2 Nos.

Sphere In Complex

12 hrs. with 100% plant capacity

Off spec

Propylene

Liquid 1785 / M3 x

1 No.

Mounded

Bullet

In Complex

12 hrs. with 100%

plant capacity

Hydrogen Gas 50 M3 x 2

Nos.

Above

Ground

Bullet

In Complex

7 Days

19

Table 6: Offsite Storage Summary

Service Phase Capacity /

Nos.

Type of

storage

Location Basis of capacity

RPG Liquid 2174 M3 x

2 Nos.

Dome

roof tank

In Complex

3 Days

EDC Liquid 3780 M3 x

3 Nos.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In Complex

VCM Liquid 3804 M3 x

2 Nos.

Spheres In

Complex

7 Days

Products

MEG Liquid 17100 M3 x

2 Nos.

Fixed roof tank

In Complex

15 days

DEG Liquid 2500 M3 x

1 No.

Fixed roof

tank

In Complex

15 days

TEG Liquid 150 M3 x 1

No.

Fixed roof

tank

In Complex

15 days

HPG Liquid 3000 M3 x

2 Nos.

Internal Floating roof tank

In Complex

15 Days

PGO Liquid 1000 M3 x 2 Nos.

Cone roof

Nitrogen

Blanketing

Tank

In Complex

15 Days

PFO /

CBFS

Liquid 700 M3 x 2 Nos.

Fixed roof

Tank

In Complex

15 Days

Benzene Liquid 2000 M3 x

2 Nos.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In Complex

15 Days

20

Table 6: Offsite Storage Summary

Service Phase Capacity /

Nos.

Type of

storage

Location Basis of capacity

C6+

Oligomer

Liquid 300 M3 x 1

Nos.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In Complex

15 Days

Slop Liquid 1700 M3 x

1 No.

Internal

Floating

roof tank

In Complex

From ETP.

Caustic for

sales

Liquid /

Solid

18 KT Warehouse

and Tanks

In Complex

Part of CA ISBL. 30

Days

PVC Solid 27 KT PWH In Complex

30 days.

Poly

Propylene

Solid 28.4 KT PWH In Complex

30 days.

HDPE/

LLDPE

solid 40.5 KT PWH In Complex

30 days.

6.0 LOGISTICS

Mode of transport for various feed, products and various streams to and from the

Petrochemical complex are as listed below in Table 7.

Table 7: Mode of transport for various feed, products and various streams

S.No.

Item

Source

Destination

Phase Mode of

Transport

Product

1. MEG Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

2. DEG Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

3. TEG Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

4. LLDPE Product Warehouse Buyer Solid Road

5. HDPE Product Warehouse Buyer Solid Road

6. Poly

Propylene

Product Warehouse

Buyer

Solid

Road

7. PVC Product Warehouse Buyer Solid Road

8. Caustic Product Warehouse Buyer Solid Road

9. HPG Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

21

10. PGO Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

11. PFO /

CBFS

Truck Loading Gantry

Buyer

Liquid

Road

12. Benzene Truck Loading Gantry Buyer Liquid Road

13. C6+

Oligomer

Truck Loading Gantry

Buyer

Liquid

Road

Feed

1. Ethane Jetty Complex B/L Liquid Note-1

2. Propane Jetty Complex B/L Liquid Note-2

3. Naphtha HPCL Vizakh Refinery Complex B/L Liquid Pipeline

4. Hexene-1 Supplier Truck Loading Gantry Liquid Road

5. Pentane Supplier Truck Loading Gantry Liquid Road

6. Hexane Supplier Truck Loading Gantry Liquid Road

7. Salt Supplier Salt Storage Solid Road

Other Streams

Table 7: Mode of transport for various feed, products and various streams

S.No.

Item

Source

Destination

Phase Mode of

Transport

1. Raw

Water

Polavarum left main

canal

Complex B/L

Liquid

Pipeline.

2. Treated

Effluent

ETP Sea

Liquid

Pipeline

3. Slop Various Sources Buyer Liquid Road

4.

RLNG RLNG if required is considered to be available at complex B/L. Only

metering facility and offsite piping is considered.

Note-1: Liquid ethane shall be imported in Very Large Ethane Carrier’s (VLEC) of 87,000 m3

(approx. 48,000 Tons) capacity. Liquid ethane is proposed to be supplied from port to the

complex through pipeline from Jetty.

Note-2: Liquid Propane shall be imported in Vessels of 30,000 m3 capacity. Liquid Propane

is proposed to be supplied from port to the complex through pipeline from Jetty.

22

Supply of Ethane

Based on the requirement of the parcel size of Ethane import through VLEC (Each having ~

87000 M3 capacity) has been considered as basis for the storage and the capacity has been

fixed to 100000 M3.

The option selected for the proposed complex is tabulated below:

Unloading and storage at port.

Heating and transportation through non-cryogenic pipeline up to Petrochemical

Complex.

VLEC carrier would can be berthed at a jetty near the breakwater of KSPL port. Length of

trestle required is 1.75 km for laying the cryogenic lines from DWST to Jetty. The jetty

location is proposed adjacent to proposed LNG Jetty at KSPL port.

Supply of Propane

Based on the requirement of the parcel size of Propane import through vessel of capacity of

about 30000 M3 has been considered. Based on vessel capacity the storage and the

capacity has been fixed to 35000 M3.

Supply of Naphtha

The Major Facilities are envisaged for transportation of Naphtha:

1+1 Nos pf Booster Pump and 1+1 Nos of Mainline Pump of 200 M3/Hr each will be

installed in the premises of HPCL refinery.

12” Naphtha Pipeline with length of 150 Kms.

Pig Launcher and Receiver

Flow Meters (Both at Dispatch and Receipt facility for custody transfer)

Surge Relief Valve (At Receipt facility)

Corrosion Inhibitor dosing facility (At Dispatch facility)

Marine Discharge of Treated Effluent

The treated effluent is proposed to be disposed in sea via pipeline of total Length 7 Kms

which includes 6 Kms Onshore with 500 M Buried Portion and 1 Km Inside the sea.

Receipt of Salt

Salt would be received by Road.

Dispatch of Products and Unloading of Feeds via Truck Gantry Three out of 4 Nos. gantries are proposed to be kept for Receipt of Raw Material. The number of bays has been considered with a uniform basis of 6 Hrs. per day

effective work and volume of tanker as 15 M3. With the aforesaid considerations the number of bays per product has been worked out as below:

23

MEG: 15 Nos. of Bays

DEG & TEG: 1 Nos of Bay

HPG : 4 Nos. of Bays.

PGO : 4 No. of Bay.

PFO / CBFS : 2 Nos. of Bays.

Benzene: 2 Nos. of Bays.

C6+ Oligomer: 1 Bay

Slop: 1 Bay

Hexene-1: 1 Bay

Pentane: 1 Bay

Hexane:1 Bay Dispatch of Solid Products

The Solid Products are stored in Product Warehouse in bags and stacked on Pallets inside Product Warehouse. Polymer pellets / powder or Caustic Flakes are usually stored in 25 Kg Bags and each Pallet can hold 1 Ton of polymer. The pallets are arranged in warehouse in 3 high configuration. The pallets are moved around inside the product warehouse on fork lifts and dispatched from complex on trucks.

Number of Bagging Lines required for each units are:

• LLDPE/HDPE: 4 + 1 • PPU: 3+1 • PVC: 3 + 1

• Caustic: 2 + 1 7.0 PROJECT COST AND SCHEDULE The petrochemical complex cost is Rs. 30,500 crores and schedule is 60 months including commissioning of the project.