DRPC: Focusing on Polymers

PetroChina Daqing Refining and Petrochemical Company (DRPC) is
a comprehensive petrochemical company with the integration of
refining, chemicals, chemical fibers, light industry goods and
textiles. The company has taken important measures such as the
development of new polyacrylamide (PAM) products, the capacity
expansion of the acrylonitrile unit, the reformation of the
oilfield polymer market and the renovation of its Second Polymer
Plant. As a result, it has become a world-class oilfield chemical
production base with a capacity of nearly 100 000 t/a polymers.

Strive to be bigger and stronger
DRPC focuses its research on the development of oilfield
chemicals and polypropylene products with high added value.
    In 2004, the company successfully in the oxygen-free
environment separated and washed out catalysts in the
preparation of acrylamide slurry and developed the
"asynchronous process" for the preparation of catalysts.
    Salt-resistant polyacrylamide is produced in great
quantities from sewage generated in oilfields. The result shows
that when the polymer produced from sewage is used, the crude
oil recovery rate is 2.0 percentage points higher than
conventional polymer oil displacement. In this way, 15 million
m3 of oilfield sewage can be used a year and great quantities
of clean water resources are saved.
    Since its founding, DRPC has developed nearly ten PAM
product varieties with high or ultrahigh molecular weight. In
2005, the company provided 86 500 tons of PAM products to 7 oil
recovery plants of Daqing Oilfield Company. Products include 11
categories such as anionic series, salt-resistant series and
composite ion series. The "Hydrolysis Methods in the Process
Technology for the Synthesis of Polyacrylamide with Ultrahigh
Molecular Weight" developed by the company gained invention
patent of the state in 2005.
    With strenuous efforts, products in the company have
developed from the single variety of PAM to high-quality product
series including varieties with ultrahigh molecular weight,
salt-resistant varieties, pre-crosslinking varieties and
composite ion varieties. Economic and technical indexes such as
product quality, output, energy consumption and product
adaptability reached the world advanced level. Dependence on the
import of high-performance PAM production technology is removed.
Core competitiveness in the oilfield chemical production base
of the company is enhanced and new growth points of economic
benefits have been created in the company.

Provide high-quality services
DRPC introduced the most advanced PAM production unit and
production technology from France in 1995. Only a single variety
of PAM with medium molecular weight could be produced at that
time.
    In 1999, the company used the existing material and
equipment and successfully produced PAM with a molecular weight
of 17 million, filling a gap in the domestic production. In 2004,
the company completed the research of salt-resistant PAM with
an ultrahigh molecular weight of 30-35 million and 35-40 million.
The fine powder regeneration technology was developed and also
disseminated in production lines. Commercial production with
zero fine powder yield was achieved. The technology was used in
Daqing Oilfield and oilfields in Kazakhstan.
    The product portfolio of PAM in the company has developed
from the single variety with medium molecular weight to product
series including varieties with high and ultrahigh molecular
weight, cationic varieties and composite ion varieties.
    While satisfying the market demand in Daqing, polymers
produced in the company have also occupied markets of oilfields
in Xinjiang and Liaohe, Liaoning province and applied in
pharmaceutical, coal and mining sectors.
   
Employ scale advantages
Oilfield chemicals produced in DRPC have developed from the
single variety of PAM with medium molecular weight to product
series of polymers. The output for polymers reached 70 000 tons
at the end of 2004.
    Donghao Polymer Plant subordinate to Daqing Petroleum
Administration Bureau was transferred to DRPC at the beginning
of 2005. (CCR2004, No. 2) The capacity of polymers in the company
therefore went up to more than 90 000 t/a. The reformation
created favorable conditions for the optimal distribution of
resources and the start of large-scale and specialized
production in Daqing.
    Polymer units in Donghao Polymer Plant failed to make
full-load production in the past. To reduce production cost and
improve product quality, DRPC invested RMB92.7 million at the
end of 2005 and conducted technical renovation to Donghao
Polymer Plant. The renovation was completed in June 2006 and the
capacity of polymers reached 21 000 t/a. The output of polymers
in the company was therefore increased from 70 000 tons to 91
000 tons and the capacity of salt-resistant polymers with high
molecular weight reached 65 000 t/a.
   The renovation to major production lines in the plant is
completed today. No. 11 production line has already produced 883
tons of salt-resistant PAM.
   In 2006, DRPC and Daqing Oilfield have signed another
contract on the supply of 90 000 tons of PAM. With the commercial
application of ternary oil displacement agent in Daqing Oilfield,
DRPC will be sufficient for providing more adequate polymers
solutions to its customers.