SUMGAYIT, Azerbaijan, September 16. A media tour of the Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant has been organized within the framework of SOCAR’s Energy Dialogue Platform ahead of September 20 – Oil Workers' Day, TurkicWorld's correspondent reports from the event.
Representatives from over 30 media outlets participated in the event, which began with a detailed briefing on the plant's operations, production capabilities, and modernization projects implemented in recent years.
During the tour, it was noted that the facility comprises Ethylene, Polyethylene, and Steam and Electric Power Production (SEPP) units. Following reconstruction and modernization efforts, the annual design capacity for ethylene production reached 190,000 tons, while propylene production capacity rose to 187,000 tons. The SEPP unit, commissioned in 2001, supplies the plant's production areas with steam and electricity.
The information was provided that products manufactured by the Azerkimya Production Union are primarily exported to Türkiye, Estonia, and China, with supplies also being delivered to Central Asian countries. European markets represent the primary target for exports, though priority is given to meeting the demand of the Turkish market.
According to the information, large-scale modernization work began in 2016 on the EP-300 unit of the Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant, within the framework of the "State Program on Industrial Development in Azerbaijan for 2015–2020," approved by the President's decree dated December 26, 2014. The project's primary objective was to ensure a stable supply of ethylene, propylene, pure hydrogen, and energy resources to the SOCAR Polymer complex operating in the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park.
During the event, it was also noted that the raw materials used for production are supplied directly from SOCAR’s Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery. In this regard, the Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant is considered a vital link in SOCAR’s integrated value chain, which extends from crude oil extraction to polymer production.
As part of the modernization project, new storage facilities, a hydrogen enrichment unit, propane-propylene fraction units, four new pyrolysis furnaces, an M-4 turbocompressor, selective hydrogenation reactors, various pumps, and other equipment were put into operation. During a major overhaul in 2020, the new units and equipment were integrated into the existing EP-300 facility, ensuring the plant's high-performance operation.
As a result, the daily volume of raw material processing has reached an average of 2,500 tons. Daily production stands at 630 tons for ethylene and 550 tons for propylene. Following the reconstruction work, actual production volumes for key products have doubled overall, with some products seeing a threefold increase.
Besides, during a media tour, it was announced that the production capacity utilization rate at Azerkimya PU is expected to exceed 85% in 2026. The facility utilized 86% of its production capacity in 2025.
During the media tour, it was also highlighted that environmental projects are being implemented at the facility. One of the primary objectives is the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) generated during the production process and its reuse as a raw material. Plans are in place to direct the captured CO₂ to the urea plant.
The information noted that under normal operating conditions, only gases essential for process safety are flared in the flare system, and emissions are monitored via specialized systems. Additionally, inert purge gases generated at SOCAR Polymer’s polypropylene and high-density polyethylene units are being reused. To achieve this, the gases are returned to the production process via a 4-kilometer pipeline laid between Azerkimya and SOCAR Polymer.
During a media tour, Elnur Mammadli, General Director of Azerkimya, said that the engineering phase of the facility's instrumentation and automation project is already 98 percent complete.
"Physical installation and construction-repair work at the site will begin next year. Once the project is finished, the plant's control systems will be fully automated, and the safety and reliability of operations will be further enhanced," Mammadli noted.
According to him, Azerkimya plays a crucial role in linking the Oil Refinery with SOCAR Polymer by processing incoming light fractions to supply the primary raw materials needed for polymer production.
The general director also mentioned that, as a result of technical upgrades, the interval between major overhauls has been extended from once a year to once every two years, enabling cost optimization.
It was noted that the plant currently employs 1,900 people. The facility produces 190,000 tons of ethylene, 187,000 tons of propylene, and 120,000 tons of polyethylene annually. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is produced at the Polimir-120 unit. The production capacity of the energy facility stands at 480 tons of steam and 68 MW of electricity per hour.
Afterwards, media representatives toured the plant's production areas.
