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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

OQ begins maiden production of polyethylene

Polyethylene bags from OQ
Polyethylene bags from OQ
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Bags of freshly produced polyethylene resin – a key building block in the manufacture of a wide array of commonly used plastics-based products and compounds – began emerging from the polymer unit of Oman’s multibillion dollar Liwa Plastics Industrial Complex (LPIC) over the weekend, marking the maiden production of this key commodity in the Sultanate.


OQ – the Sultanate’s diversified energy powerhouse – which owns and operates the $6.7 billion Liwa Plastics project at Sohar Port, said the bagged resin represented the first output from test runs underway at the polymer unit within the complex.


In a tweet, wholly government-owned OQ congratulated the project team on the successful start-up of the polymer unit. At full capacity, the unit will add 880,000 tons per year of polyethylene and 300,000 tons per year of polypropylene to Oman’s polymer production capacity annually.


As reported by the Observer last week, the formal commencement of polyethylene production in the Sultanate  – ahead of Liwa Plastics commercial launch anticipated in the coming months – effectively paves the way for Oman’s entry into the ranks of global producers of this basic ingredient.


A lightweight, durable thermoplastic, polyethylene is one of the most widely produced plastics in the world with tens of millions of tons produced worldwide each year. Polyethylene is used in applications ranging from films, tubes, plastic parts and laminates in numerous markets, including packaging, automotive, electrical, electronics, appliances, healthcare products and toys.


 


 


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