Secco 900 000 T/A Ethylene Project Puts on Stream

On June 29 Secco 900 000 t/a ethylene project came on stream. Situated in Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park, Shanghai, the project is completed by Shanghai Secco Petrochemical Company, a US$2.748 billion joint venture between Sinopec (30%), Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited (20%) and BP (50%).      The 220-hectare Secco facility, the largest petrochemical complex in China to date, was built in just 27 months, 3 months ahead of schedule. Using the best technology, manufacturing methods and management expertise available, Secco has been created world-class site serving China's rapidly growing demand for petrochemicals.    The site's capacities are 900 000 t/a ethylene, 600 000 t/a polyethylene, 250 000 t/a polypropylene, 300 000 t/a polystyrene and 260 000 t/a acrylonitrile. The ethylene cracker, Secco's core asset, is currently the largest in China as well as one of the largest in the world, its' commissioning, in March 2005, took just 10 hours and 45 minutes, a world record.     Secco has a world-class safety record, with zero fatalities during construction out of more than 50 million man hours worked. The site also boasts leading environmental standards.

     * October 1996 the Letter of Intent for the 900 000 t/a ethylene project was signed and Chinese government approved the Project Proposal.     * August 2001 the Chinese government approved the Joint Feasibility Study Report.     * September 2001, MOFTEC (Ministry of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation) of China approved the Joint Venture Contract.      * November 2001, the Joint Venture, Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company Limited was formed.       * March 2002, Secco 900 000 t/a ethylene cracker project startup.     * March 2003, Secco 600 000t/a polyethylene complex started construction.     * November 2004, Secco PP project intermediate handing-over.     * March 2005, Secco ethylene cracker started wet commissioning and manufactured qualified ethylene.     * June 2005 Secco 900 000 t/a ethylene project came on stream.