The Sinopec’s Ethylene Project is Expected to Commence Full-scale Production in 2027
2025-12-3
As the largest single-industry investment project in Hunan Province to date, the Sinopec 1-Million-Ton/Year Ethylene Refining Integration and Supporting Refining Upgrading Project (hereinafter referred to as the "Yueyang Ethylene Project") Yueyang, Hunan with a total investment of 35.68 billion yuan is now entering a critical phase of advancement. The project has completed the land handover for the main site area, site leveling and most of the dynamic compaction work, fully transitioning into the equipment procurement and main construction preparation phase, with an expected official commencement in 2027. The rapid implementation of this project will not only reshape the petrochemical industry landscape in Yueyang but also drive the strategic transformation of the petrochemical sector in Central China toward "reducing oil and increasing chemical production.".
The project is centered on the core logic of "integrated ethylene refining and petrochemical production," involving the planning and construction of 18 chemical plants and supporting oil refining upgrade projects. This will establish a complete industrial loop of "oil refining-ethylene-downstream derivatives," along with comprehensive energy supply facilities.
1. Two core projects: ethylene dominance + refining support
The ethylene project, as the core of the initiative, comprises a total of 14 units, distributed across the Changling New Area and the Balin Old Area. In the Changling New Area, 10 key units will be newly constructed, with the 1 million tons/year ethylene unit serving as the "heart" of the entire project. Supporting facilities include a 500,000 tons/year cracked gasoline hydrogenation unit, a 300,000 tons/year aromatic extraction unit, a 300,000 tons/year EVA unit, and a 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit, covering the entire production chain from ethylene manufacturing to downstream high-value-added product processing. In the Balin Old Area, four specialized units will be arranged, including a 150,000 tons/year C5 separation unit, a 300,000 tons/year propylene oxide (CHPPO) unit, and a 220,000/130,000 tons/year phenol/acetone unit, focusing on the production of fine chemical products.
The supporting refining upgrade project is being advanced simultaneously, involving the construction of four facilities, including a 3 million tons/year hydrocracking unit and a 60,000 tons/year sulfur recovery unit. Through process optimization in refining, high-quality feedstock for ethylene cracking is provided, achieving "oil-chemical synergy.".
2. Supporting facilities: energy assurance strengthens operational foundations
To support the operation of large-scale facilities, the project has been equipped with sufficient energy supply facilities: three 410t/h high-temperature and high-pressure pulverized coal boilers and two 50MW back-pressure units were installed in the Changling area, while two 520t/h high-temperature and high-pressure pulverized coal boilers (one in operation and one as backup) were set up in the Baling area, forming a stable thermal and power supply system to ensure continuous and efficient operation of the facilities.
The project is centered on the core logic of "integrated ethylene refining and petrochemical production," involving the planning and construction of 18 chemical plants and supporting oil refining upgrade projects. This will establish a complete industrial loop of "oil refining-ethylene-downstream derivatives," along with comprehensive energy supply facilities.
1. Two core projects: ethylene dominance + refining support
The ethylene project, as the core of the initiative, comprises a total of 14 units, distributed across the Changling New Area and the Balin Old Area. In the Changling New Area, 10 key units will be newly constructed, with the 1 million tons/year ethylene unit serving as the "heart" of the entire project. Supporting facilities include a 500,000 tons/year cracked gasoline hydrogenation unit, a 300,000 tons/year aromatic extraction unit, a 300,000 tons/year EVA unit, and a 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit, covering the entire production chain from ethylene manufacturing to downstream high-value-added product processing. In the Balin Old Area, four specialized units will be arranged, including a 150,000 tons/year C5 separation unit, a 300,000 tons/year propylene oxide (CHPPO) unit, and a 220,000/130,000 tons/year phenol/acetone unit, focusing on the production of fine chemical products.
The supporting refining upgrade project is being advanced simultaneously, involving the construction of four facilities, including a 3 million tons/year hydrocracking unit and a 60,000 tons/year sulfur recovery unit. Through process optimization in refining, high-quality feedstock for ethylene cracking is provided, achieving "oil-chemical synergy.".
2. Supporting facilities: energy assurance strengthens operational foundations
To support the operation of large-scale facilities, the project has been equipped with sufficient energy supply facilities: three 410t/h high-temperature and high-pressure pulverized coal boilers and two 50MW back-pressure units were installed in the Changling area, while two 520t/h high-temperature and high-pressure pulverized coal boilers (one in operation and one as backup) were set up in the Baling area, forming a stable thermal and power supply system to ensure continuous and efficient operation of the facilities.