【SeaChuan: Lessons from Others】Jinxī Petrochemical’s Alkylation Upgrade Yields 140 Million in Savings

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The energy-enhancement upgrades at Jinxi Petrochemical have generated 140 million in savings. Adhering to a strategy of improving hardware capabilities and boosting efficiency through optimized software solutions, Jinxi Petrochemical has continued to refine its processes and implement meticulous management practices since 2025, aiming to maximize efficiency by overcoming the operational constraints of its alkylation units. To date, a total of 184,000 tons of alkylated oil have been produced, generating revenue of 140 million yuan. For a long time, the issue of insufficient production capacity in alkylation units due to high temperatures in summer has been a common problem facing the industry. Focusing on this prominent issue that hinders the efficient operation of this unit, Jinxī Petrochemical took advantage of the five-year maintenance period to make the upgrading of the alkylation unit a key project for improvement. By adding two sets of air-cooling equipment, it enhanced the unit’s heat dissipation capacity and operational flexibility, thereby addressing the problem posed by high temperatures on production capacity. After the renovation, the flexibility of Jinxī Petrochemical’s alkylation unit in production was significantly improved; stable operation under high loads became the norm, with the maximum production load reaching 118%. The average monthly output increased to 23,000 tons, which is about 15% higher than the previous peak levels. This eliminated the constraints imposed by external factors on production capacity, laying a solid hardware foundation for sustained high-level production of the unit. Along with hardware upgrades, Jinxī Petrochemical has also focused on process optimization and refined management, aiming to transform the facilities from being capable of operation to operating in a highly efficient manner. Technicians use process simulation software to conduct precise calculations, identify the optimal reaction temperature range, and implement precise control ； Stringent quality control is applied to raw materials, with strict adherence to the purity standards for recycled isobutane. Key performance indicators are included in the team assessment system, and real-time monitoring through online analytical instruments enables dynamic adjustments, thus ensuring precise control over the entire process and all relevant factors – which effectively improves reaction efficiency and product yield. By overcoming bottlenecks through hardware upgrades and enhancing efficiency via software solutions, the alkylation unit at Jinxi Petrochemical has managed to increase both its production capacity and profitability through systematic efforts and meticulous management. This has provided strong support for the company in achieving its annual production and operational goals, while also creating efficient operation practices that can be replicated and applied elsewhere, thus injecting significant momentum into efforts to improve quality and efficiency. Zhang Yifeng, Xu Tuofu. Keywords: Jinxī Petrochemical’s alkylation upgrade project yields 140 million in savings. Related recommendations