IOC, BP pact for acetic acid plant
New Delhi   24-Nov-2011

State-owned IndianOil (IOC) on November 23, 2011 said it has signed an MoU with UK's BP for setting up a 1 million tonne acetic acid plant in Gujarat.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is for exploring "the potential for establishing a 50-50 joint venture to invest in a one million tonne per annum Acetic Acid plant in Gujarat together with associated gasification facilities for production of Synthesis Gas," the company said in a statement. The proposed Acetic Acid plant would employ BP's latest Cativa XL technology, while the gasification facilities would utilise petroleum coke feedstock from IOC.

"A joint feasibility study is currently underway to confirm the exact configuration of the project, which would have a targeted start-up date in 2015," the statement said but did not give details of investment.