Reliance ramps up PTA and PET resin capacity at Dahej

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) today announced the successful commissioning of a new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant and a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET resin) plant at Dahej, Gujarat.

The commissioning of the PTA plant with an annual production capacity of 1,150 kilo tonnes takes Reliance's total PTA capacity to 3.2 million tonnes per annum and its global capacity share to 4 per cent, the company said in a statement.

Paraxylene, the key feedstock for the PTA plant, is sourced from Reliance's Jamnagar refinery.

The PTA plant is also forward-integrated with a 650 KTA PET plant in the same complex. The integrated operation will help in lower operating cost and capture full chain margins, RIL said, adding that another PTA plant of similar capacity is under construction at the same location.

With these capacities, Reliance will rank among the top five PTA manufacturers globally, the company stated.

India is the second-largest producer of polyester with estimated production of 5.4 MMTPA.

The new PET resin plant (polyethylene terephthalate) at Dahej consists of two lines with a combined manufacturing capacity of 650 kilo tonnes per annum.

RIL said its new PET resin plant is one of the largest bottle-grade PET resin capacity at a single location globally. This consolidates Reliance's position as a leading PET resin producer with a global capacity of 1.15 MMTPA, it added.

Current global PET resin capacity is estimated at 30 MMTPA. PET resin from the new capacity would find application in packaging for water, carbonated soft drinks, pharmaceuticals and other food and beverages.

Both the PTA plant and the PET plant have been built with `Invista' technology, RIL said in a release, adding that the state-of-the-art facilities are highly energy efficient and environment friendly.