Managing Director of the complex Mohammad Reza Movaseghinia said the units are being launched to boost the plant’s efficiency.
He said the technology used in the units has never been used before in the country.
The official said arrangements with domestic investors in development of the facility that will be fully funded by the private sector, have been finalized but efforts are being made to lure foreign investors into the projects in the comlex.
Development of petrochemical plants in Chabahar (Makran) was endorsed by the government cabinet in 2012 and 1,200 hectare of land was offered for construction of petrochemical utility and infrastructure facilities worth $12 billion.
Access to the consumption markets in China, India and Pakistan is one of the biggest advantages of the region.
18 upstream petrochemical plants with 25 million tons of capacity annually have been envisaged for development in Makran, southeastern Iran.
Construction of petrochemical plants in the region is hoped to lead to a transformation of the country’s southeast.
The Makran Petrochemical Plant is the biggest project yet undertaken by private owners in Iran, aiming to produce 25 million metric tons of products a year, 20 million tons of which are intended for exports.
Currently, the country has a capacity to produce over 60 million metric tons of petrochemical annually.
The petrochemical industry is the biggest source of foreign earnings for Iran after crude oil, put around $14 billion last year.
Divided into three construction phases, the Makran complex is planned to come on-stream over a period of nine years and will include 17 production units. Nine private investors, two Iranian banks and three pension funds are financing the project.