Nikochem (Moscow) is in talks with Dow Chemical on a possible joint venture to build a $3-billion petrochemical complex at Volgograd, Russia, local press reports say. The complex would be built on the site of Kaustik (Volgograd), Nikochem s chlor-alkali subsidiary. It would have capacity for 500,000 m.t./year of polyvinyl chloride (PVC); 450,000 m.t./year of polyethylene; and 400,000 m.t./year of polypropylene, and start operating in 2012, reports say. The complex would also likely include an ethylene plant. A final decision on the project will be taken by year-end, depending on Nikochem s ability to source feedstock. Lukoil-Neftekhim, the petrochemicals subsidiary of energy firm Lukoil (Moscow), may also participate in the project, reports say. All of the firms declined to comment but Dow CEO, Andrew Liveris, has confirmed several times over the last two years Dow s interest in participating in an ethylene project in Russia.
