BP is licensing its latest generation purified terephthalic acid (PTA) technology to SOCAR Turkey Enerji. The Turkish company will use the technology for a new 900,000 t/y plant in Aliaga, which is expected to go on stream by 2023, pending a final investment decision.

“This investment is highly strategic for us, fulfilling our intent to create a value chain by integrating our newly-announced aromatics complex adjacent to the Star refinery and Petkim plant in Aliaga with the most competitive PTA technology,” said Emil Eminov, chief operating officer of SOCAR Turkey. “This will create the most competitive asset in Turkey and the Middle East and will serve the high demand for PTA in Turkey and surrounding regions.”

The Star refinery, which is due to be commissioned in September of this year, is reported to include production of 1 million t/y of reformate and mixed xylenes, along with naphtha feedstock for Petkim. SOCAR Turkey, part of Azerbaijan’s energy group SOCAR, acquired Petkim in 2008.

BP said its PTA technology has significantly lower capital and operating costs compared to rival processes. The UK-based group has an alliance with French engineering and construction group Technip for PTA projects, which was extended in December 2016 to include acetic acid.