Huge gas chemical complex commissioned in Uzbekistan
By Nigar Abbasova
Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, which is considered to be the largest in Central Asia, was commissioned in north-western part of Uzbekistan (Republic of Karakalpakstan, Kungrad region). Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan and South Korea Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Hwang Kyo-ahn attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on May 21, 2016.
The complex comprises five plants on gas, ethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene production, power generation and modern infrastructure facilities.
Hwang Kyo-ahn, addressing the event, said that the construction of Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex is an example of successful cooperation between the two countries. "It is a new model of cooperation which envisages transition from the export of raw materials to the joint production and export of products with high value-added taxes to foreign markets," he added.
Main objective of the project is gas processing and creation of conditions for its production and transportation.
The complex is expected to annually process 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, produce up to 4 billion cubic meters of marketable gas, 387,000 tons of polyethylene, 83,000 tons polypropylene. It is considered that the main consumers will be Eastern Europe, Turkey and subsequently the western regions of China. The resource base of the project is Surgil, Vostochniy Berdah-Uchsay and Severniy Berdah fields.
Consortium of Korean companies joined Uzbekneftegaz to establish the Uz-Kor Gas Chemical joint venture in May, 2008. Ustyurt GCC project was implemented on a parity basis.
General contractors of the project were the Korean Samsung Engineering, GS Engineering and Hyundai Engineering. The construction of the complex began in 2011. The total cost of the project amounts to $ 4 billion. Participants of the project allocated approximately $1.4 billion and attracted about $2.5 billion from financial institutions in order to implement the project.
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