RUSSO-GERMAN PETCHEM COMPLEX EYED

Germany's BASF AG and Russia's Gazprom have formed a joint venture to build a 1.2-1.5 billion Deutschemark ($700-880 million) petrochemical complex at Novyy Urengoy, Siberia. The plant will use gas produced locally as feedstock to manufacture as much as 340,000 metric tons/year of ethylene and 300,000 tons/year of polyethylene. Construction is scheduled to begin in 1995. The plant's output is intended for sale in Russia. BASF and Gazprom are currently studying the feasibility of

July 26, 1993

Germany's BASF AG and Russia's Gazprom have formed a joint venture to build a 1.2-1.5 billion Deutschemark ($700-880 million) petrochemical complex at Novyy Urengoy, Siberia.

The plant will use gas produced locally as feedstock to manufacture as much as 340,000 metric tons/year of ethylene and 300,000 tons/year of polyethylene.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 1995. The plant's output is intended for sale in Russia.

BASF and Gazprom are currently studying the feasibility of building and operating pipelines to take gas from Siberia's Yamal Peninsula into Western Europe via Germany.

Marketing of gas would be through a joint venture of BASF unit Wintershall AG and Gazprom, Wintershall Erdgas Handelhaus GmbH (OGJ, Sept. 14, 1992, p. 29). No deadline has been set for completion of the study.