A fractionation column, the largest vertical piece of equipment for the project, has been delivered to the construction site of the future polyethylene plant. It is the first piece of oversized equipment to arrive directly at the complex’s installation site. The column was manufactured at the AtyrauNefteMash plant.
Technical specifications of the column:
▪️ Height – 101.8 metres (higher than a 30-storey residential building);
▪️ Diameter – 7.5 metres;
▪️ Weight – approximately 1,500 tonnes.
The equipment is at the heart of the pyrolysis unit: it is in this column that ethylene, the key feedstock for polyethylene production, will be separated.
The transportation route ran from the manufacturing facility in Atyrau to the construction site in the National Industrial Petrochemical Technopark Special Economic Zone. A self-propelled modular transporter was used for transportation, distributing the load so that the axle load did not exceed 10 tonnes. This helped prevent damage to the road surface. Transportation was carried out during daylight hours at a speed ensuring safe movement, approximately 2–4 km/h.
The delivery of oversized equipment is not merely a logistics milestone; it establishes the technical foundation for the start of active installation works.
Overall, the manufacture of equipment of this scale and technical complexity by a Kazakhstani company marks an important step towards strengthening localisation. The project demonstrates the growing capabilities of domestic manufacturers, creates new opportunities for the industry, and expands the participation of Kazakhstani companies in the implementation of the country’s largest petrochemical projects.
