On April 10, the PetroChina Tarim ethane-to-ethylene project, the first of its kind in Xinjiang, was launched in the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industrial Park of Korla Shangku High-tech Development Zone.

With a total investment of RMB9.05 billion, the project mainly includes a 600 kt/a ethylene plant, a 300 kt/a full-density polyethylene (PE) plant, and a 300 kt/a high-density PE (HDPE) plant, as well as supporting public works, auxiliary production facilities, and off-site projects. Construction will begin on June 1 and will be completed in June 2021, with an estimated annual profit of RMB1.029 billion.

Xu Wenqing, Deputy General Manager of Tarim Oilfield Company said, “The project is one of the first batch of pure ethane-based ethylene plants built in China based on the rich natural gas resources of the Tarim Oilfield and the proprietary intellectual property rights of PetroChina. It plays a dual role in taking the lead in the high value-added utilization of resources and in reducing the ethylene industry’s dependence on foreign technology.”