Lurgi will supply its proprietary MTP technology for the plant, which will be the first commercial facility of its type in the Islamic republic. A pilot plant for the new technology has been tested in Norway and officials say capacity at a world-class project could reach as high as 500,000 t/y.

NPC is also looking at a catalyst for converting methanol to ethylene. The company has patented a new technology in the US with a US partner. The catalyst was developed by PRTC.

Lurgi signed in May a $194 million contract to build a new methanol unit at NPC affiliate Zagros Petrochemical Company (ZPC). The project will have capacity of 1.8 million t/y - identical to the ZPC's first production line, now under construction at Bandar Assaluyeh by Lurgi and the local Petrochemical Industries Design & Engineering Company (PIDEC - MEED 2:4:04).