【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】From 1981 to 2023, Lianyungang became the world’s largest acrylonitrile production base

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On December 1, 2023, at the petrochemical industry base in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, the fourth acrylonitrile production unit of Shenghong Sierbang Petrochemical, with an annual capacity of 260,000 tons, came online, producing high-quality acrylonitrile. With this, Shenghong’s acrylonitrile production capacity has risen to 1.04 million tons per year, making it the world’s largest acrylonitrile production base. Acrylonitrile has the chemical formula C3H3N and is an important raw material for the three major synthetic materials: plastics, synthetic rubber, and synthetic fibers. Its upstream raw materials are propylene and liquid ammonia, while its downstream products include ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, acrylic fiber, acrylamide, carbon fiber, etc. It is widely used in fields such as wind power generation, automobiles, machinery, and electronics. On December 18, 2015, with the successful commissioning of Shenghong’s first 260,000 tons per year acrylonitrile production facility, the first private enterprise to enter the acrylonitrile industry was established. This 260,000 tons per year plant, the best among private enterprises, later set a world record for the acrylonitrile industry as well – operating continuously for 949 days. Since 2016, with the expansion of domestic production capacity including that of Shenghong, China’s imports of acrylonitrile have decreased significantly, and its reliance on imports has also fallen markedly. In 2016 and 2017, China’s imports of acrylonitrile were 306,100 tons and 270,800 tons respectively, with import dependence rates of 13.7% and 12% respectively. In recent years, Shenghong Petrochemical has continuously optimized its raw material supply structure to ensure a diversified source of resources. Bai Wei, president of Shenghong Petrochemical Industry Group, noted that Shenghong Petrochemical has adopted an \"1+N\" innovation development model that combines a core raw material platform with diversified industrial chains in areas such as new energy and new materials. By establishing a core raw material platform based on oil, coal, and gas, the company can provide the optimal combination of raw materials for the production of acrylonitrile, MMA (methyl methacrylate), photovoltaic-grade EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer), and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Regarding acrylonitrile specifically, Bai Wei said that by having three sources for the acrylonitrile raw material, Shenghong Petrochemical is able to adjust the production capacity of its facilities flexibly in response to market conditions, thereby achieving complementary advantages and reducing costs while improving efficiency. Oil Head: In December 2022, Shenghong Petrochemical’s 16 million tons per year integrated refining and chemical processing project was put into full operation. Having been in operation for nearly a year, this largest single-process petrochemical project in the country produces ethylene, propylene, propane, vinyl acetate, and other products that effectively meet the raw material needs for Shenghong’s acrylonitrile and other products. Coal Head: Shenghong Sierbang Petrochemical owns the world’s largest single-unit alcohol-based polyproduction facility with an annual capacity of 2.4 million tons. Using methanol as raw material, it produces ethylene and propylene through the MTO (Methanol to Olefins) process. Achievement: In April 2022, Shenghong Sierbang Petrochemical’s 700,000 tons per year PDH (propane dehydrogenation) plant was successfully commissioned, enabling the production of high-quality propylene products. Together with the MTO unit, Sierbon’s total propylene production capacity reaches 1.2 million tons per year, which is sufficient to meet the raw material needs of 4 acrylonitrile plants, each with a capacity of 260,000 tons per year.