Construction of the civil works for the 550,000 tons/year light hydrocarbon recovery unit in Hunan Petrochemical’s ethylene refining and integration project begins

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On the morning of December 16, the civil construction work for the 550,000 tons per year light hydrocarbon recovery unit in Hunan Petrochemical’s ethylene refining and integration project began, marking the official start of construction on the new units approved as part of the second batch of this refining expansion project. It is reported that once this facility is completed and put into operation, it will not only help to enhance the supply of ethylene raw materials as well as the recycling of hydrogen resources, but it will also serve as an important link in completing Hunan Petrochemical’s comprehensive oil refining and chemical industry chain. At that time, the new unit will also replace the existing light hydrocarbon recovery unit, creating favorable conditions for the second-phase capacity expansion of Hunan Petrochemical’s 8 million tons per year atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit. The Hunan Petrochemical ethylene refining and integration project for oil processing upgrades includes upgrading one existing atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit with a capacity of 8 million tons per year, as well as building four new units for light hydrocarbon recovery and hydrocracking. Among them, the capacity expansion and renovation of the atmospheric and vacuum distillation units will be carried out in two phases; in the first phase, the existing facilities will be upgraded taking advantage of the major maintenance period in 2025 ； New area in the second phase. By then, the new and existing areas will be connected, all expansion and renovation tasks will be completed, resulting in an oil refining capacity of tens of millions of tons. Project Overview: The Yueyang Ethylene Project has attracted significant attention from the industry since its initiation. Key information regarding its approval, investment, and location highlights the project’s strategic importance and overall strength. The project was led by Sinopec Hunan Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (Hunan Petrochemical) in its development, and went through a rigorous approval process: it received official approval from the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission on September 16, 2023, and obtained the environmental impact assessment approval from the Hunan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment on December 13 of the same year, thereby laying a solid foundation for the lawful and compliant advancement of the project. In terms of investment scale, the total investment of 35.68 billion yuan set a record for individual industrial project investments in Hunan, far exceeding that of similar chemical projects in the region. The project is located in the Changling and Baling areas of the Yueyang Green Chemical High-tech Industrial Development Zone, with a total land area of 254.9 hectares (approximately 3,823.5 mu), of which 200 hectares in the Changling North New Area serve as the core construction area. In terms of the schedule, construction on the project commenced officially on January 3, 2024. An investment of 2.08 billion yuan is planned for 2025, with completion expected by 2027. The tight timeline from start of construction to operation reflects the efficiency with which the project is being advanced.