Akim of the Atyrau Region Bolat Aksholakov visited the construction site of Silleno’s polyethylene plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 1.25 million tonnes.
Mukhtar Avutbayev, General Director of Silleno LLP, briefed the regional governor on the overall progress of the project, the current status of construction and installation works, the delivery and installation of large-scale process equipment, the involvement of Kazakhstani companies, and the next stages of project implementation.
The overall project progress currently stands at 40.9%. Construction and installation activities are underway across the pyrolysis, polymerisation and utilities, infrastructure and offsite facilities including the construction of buildings and structures, installation of utility networks, and erection of process equipment. The project is progressing in line with the approved schedule.
At the pyrolysis unit, work continues on foundations for buildings, equipment and pipe racks, as well as structural steel installation and prefabrication of process piping.
A major construction milestone was the installation of the 101.8-metre ethylene fractionator, the first large-scale piece of process equipment installed as part of the project. The column was manufactured locally in Atyrau by AtyrauNefteMash, demonstrating the region’s industrial capabilities and the contribution of domestic manufacturers to one of Kazakhstan’s largest petrochemical projects. Installation of furnaces and cryogenic tanks is also ongoing.
At the polymerisation unit, utilities, infrastructure and offsite facilities, piling and foundation works are currently in progress.
The project places particular emphasis on the development of local content. Around 40 Kazakhstani companies are involved in the implementation of the large-scale petrochemical project, with the total value of contracts awarded to local companies exceeding USD 1.2 billion. Atyrau-based companies are supplying process equipment and construction materials, carrying out engineering surveys, and actively participating in construction and installation works.
More than 5,000 people and over 500 units of specialised equipment have been mobilised to the construction site. At peak construction, the workforce is expected to reach around 15,000 people. Once the plant becomes operational, it is expected to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs. Preparations for the future operations team are already underway, with a strong focus on recruiting young specialists graduating from universities and colleges, including educational institutions in the Atyrau Region.
EPC contractors are also continuing their educational programmes. Over a four-year period, around 140 students and graduates of technical universities are expected to undergo training in Spain and Italy. More than 30 young specialists from the Atyrau Region have already completed training as part of the first cohort.
The company is also continuing its greening initiatives in the Atyrau Region as part of the nationwide “Taza Qazaqstan” campaign. Silleno has already planted 2,000 tree saplings, with a further 1,000 planned to be planted by the end of the month.
