VIETNAM: NSRP commences start-up in Vietnam; commercial output expected in May

The Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical (NSRP) project in Vietnam has entered the start-up phase, with the first commercial product expected in May 2018.

The project, located in Thanh Hoa Province, includes a 200,000 b/d refinery and petrochemical units to produce 700,000 t/y of paraxylene, 240,000 t/y of benzene and 370,000 t/y of polypropylene.

"The project now is ready for performance tests and then the operational phase," said Junzo Yamamoto, general manager of the NSRP refinery. "Following the RFSU [Ready For Start Up], we will try our best to ensure that the start-up and operation of the refinery complex will be safe, smooth and efficient."

NSRP, a joint venture of PetroVietnam, Kuwait Petroleum Europe, Idemitsu Kosan and Mitsui Chemicals, was originally expected to begin commercial operations early last year.

Source: Weekly “PetroChemical News”, Durham, NC, USA; 5 Mar 2018
(Syed Rashid Ali, Karachi, Pakistan)