Sarawak to fire up RM3.75b methanol plant on trial run in April
BINTULU, Jan 31 — Sarawak Petchem Sdn Bhd’s RM3.75 billion methanol plant in Tanjung Kidurong here will start its trial run in April, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today after he was briefed on the status of the plant.
“If it runs according to our plan, Sarawak will start commissioning the production of methanol in January next year,” he told reporters.
“That means we are on schedule in producing our own methanol for the open market,” he said.
The methanol plant, the pioneer project in the Sarawak Petrochemical Hub, is capable of producing 1.75 million tonnes per annum and is fully-owned by the state government.
Abang Johari said Sarawak Petchem will build a dedicated jetty to allow international tankers or shipping to bring it to the market. He said the state-owned company has also trained its manpower for highly skilled jobs in the petrochemical industry.
“We will also install a 5G internet facility in Tanjung Kidurong and Samalaju industrial areas as well as in some parts of Bintulu town by 2024,” he said.
He said he has also been briefed that after the completion of the Sarawak Petchem’s plant, the private sector will also develop another methanol plant.
“We know that our future is bright with the discoveries of 10 new gas areas by Petronas, with eight of them in Sarawak. So we will have enough gas feedstock for the methanol plants.
“But what is needed is that we will use the latest technology to boost the downstream activities for industries using the gas for petrochemical plants,” he said.
He said the state government will develop the petrochemical hub in Kidurong in stages.
