Reliance Industries starts purified terephthalic acid plant in Dahej

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has announced successful commissioning of new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant having a capacity of 1150 kilo tonne per annum (KTA) at Dahej, Gujarat. PTA is commonly used in polyester production including polyester fibre, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle resin and polyester film.
 
With this new plant, Reliance Industries’ total PTA capacity has been increased to 3.2 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) and global capacity share to 4%.
 
Paraxylene, the key feedstock for the PTA plant, is sourced from Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery. The purified terephthalic acid 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. Another PTA plant of similar capacity is under construction at the same location. With these capacities, Reliance Industries will be placed among the top five PTA manufacturers globally.
 
India is the second largest producer of polyester, the market for which is growing at 8-10% annually, with estimated production of 5.4 MMTPA. Indian market is currently deficit in purified terephthalic acid by over 1.5 MMTPA.
 
“The start-up of the new PTA plant at Dahej will take India closer to self-sufficiency in PTA, in line with the vision of ‘Make in India’ of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said a RIL press release.