PetroChina has begun operations at an ethylene project in Xinjiang with a capacity to produce 1.2 million metric tons per year. The facility, owned by Dushanzi Petrochemical, successfully completed its first run.
According to information released by the company, the new complex will increase Dushanzi Petrochemical’s total ethylene production capacity to 3 million tons per year. The expansion will strengthen PetroChina’s industrial presence in western China and alter the distribution of the country’s petrochemical capacity.
Furthermore, the ethylene project in Xinjiang will allow the subsidiary to significantly increase its production volume. Ethylene is a basic raw material for manufacturing plastics, resins, synthetic fibers, and other products used by numerous industries.
With the complex now operational, Dushanzi Petrochemical will be able to meet increased demand for petrochemical products. PetroChina expects that the increased production scale will also enhance the competitiveness of its products against major international manufacturers.
The expansion responds to the objective of strengthening petrochemical capacity in the west of the country; this area concentrates energy resources and new industrial investments linked to oil, gas, refining and chemical production.
PetroChina also reported that the facility will consume approximately 1 billion kilowatt-hours of photovoltaic energy annually. The electricity will be generated from the Tarim oil field and integrated into the petrochemical complex’s operations.
The use of solar energy seeks to reduce the carbon intensity associated with ethylene production; this industrial process requires large amounts of energy due to the high temperatures needed to transform raw materials into petrochemicals.
Likewise, the company described the facility as a full-chain demonstration project that incorporates ecological development criteria and low carbon emissions within the Chinese petrochemical industry.
Thus, the implementation of the ethylene project in Xinjiang combines production expansion, renewable energy supply, and regional industrial development.
The increase to 3 million tons per year will give Dushanzi Petrochemical greater operational scale, it will also allow PetroChina to expand its offering of ethylene-derived products and strengthen its capacity within the Chinese petrochemical chain.
The operation of the complex will be relevant for evaluating the use of photovoltaic energy in energy-intensive industrial facilities. Its performance will also demonstrate the extent to which the Chinese petrochemical industry can expand its production while reducing some of the emissions associated with electricity supply.
Source: Reuters
 Photo: Shutterstock 
Analyst and writer of news specialized in industrial technology, with a solid background in engineering. My work focuses on curating and synthesizing complex information, transforming technical advances and regulatory changes into journalistic reports.
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