Published on May 5, 2018

PETRONAS Chemicals Group (PCG) is on pathway to start commercial production at its new Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project based in Johor, Malaysia, in the second half of 2019. The site's polymer capacities include 350,000 tonnes/year of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), 900,000 tonnes/year of polypropylene (PP); and 400,000 tonnes/year of high density polyethylene (HDPE).

The glycol plant will be able to produce 800,000 tonnes/year of monoethylene glycol (MEG), while the INA plant will have a 250,000 tonne/year capacity. At present the INA project is 40% completed. Upstream units at the complex in Johor, including the stream cracker to be operated by PETRONAS Refinery & Petrochemical Corporation (PRPC) is scheduled for start-up in the first quarter of 2019, with commercial operations due in the first half of the same year. The cracker is expected to produce 1.3m tonnes/year of ethylene; 609,000 tonnes/year of propylene; 250,000 tonnes/year of butadiene (BD).