Sinopec Group to Start Construction on Wuhan 800 000 T/A Ethylene Plant      

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) will commence construction on a 800 000 t/a ethylene plant in Wuhan, Hubei province in the first quarter 2010. A cooperative agreement on the plant was signed by Sinopec Group, the Hubei provincial government and the Wuhan municipal government on December 5th, 2009.
   The proposed Wuhan ethylene plant, estimated to cost RMB17.95 billion, is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2012 and start up in the first half of 2013. At the same time, Sinopec Group will expand Sinopec Wuhan refinery's capacity to 9 million t/a from currently 5 million t/a, in order to ensure the raw material supply of the Wuhan ethylene plant and increase efficiency as well as make full use of existing synergies.
   About twenty large-scale chemical plants are located in Wuhan and its vicinity up to now, like Hubei Sanonda Co., Ltd. (SZ: 000553) in Jingzhou, China's leading pesticide maker, Wuhan Plastics Industrial Group Co., Ltd (SZ: 000665) in Wuhan, Doublestar Dongfeng Tire Co., Ltd. in Shiyan etc.
    "We actively proceed the Wuhan ethylene project even in this challenging environment", said Su Shulin, the general director of Sinopec Group, "Sinopec will make effort to make the Wuhan ethylene plant be competitive and sustainable through co-operative ties with local government and companies, to promote the chemical development of Hubei province." (CCR2008 No., 1, 2007 No. 21)