Jamnagar, December 29: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has announced the successful commissioning of the first phase of the paraxylene (PX) plant at its Jamnagar petrochemicals complex in Gujarat with capacity of 2.2 million tonnes per annum (MMTPA).

The plant uses modern crystallisation technology from BP and is highly energy efficient and environment-friendly, the company said here.

A communiqué issued by the company stated: “With the commissioning of this plant, RIL’s PX capacity will more than double from 2 MMTPA to 4.2 MMTPA. On commissioning of the entire PX capacity, Reliance will be the world’s second largest PX producer with 9 per cent of global PX capacity and 11 per cent share of global production.”

Spaeking on the occasion, Mukesh Ambani, CMD, Reliance Industries Ltd, said, "Commissioning of the new PX plant marks the beginning of the culmination of a series of projects, including the refinery off-gas cracker, ethane import project and petcoke gasification. These projects are part of the largest contemporary investment, in excess of Rs. 100,000 crore, in the refining and petrochemicals sector anywhere in the world."

The commissioning of the new plant coincided with the birth anniversary of the Reliance Group's founder, late Dhirubhai Ambani.

The new PX capacity will add value to the output from refineries and improve the profitability of the Jamnagar complex, the company informed.

PX is the building block for the entire polyester chain. The new capacity is seen to complete the integration within RIL’s polyester value chain, leading to improved margins and would also strengthen its position in the polyester industry globally.