China’s Sinopec Anqing starts new PP unit in Anhui

Market: Petrochemicals
03/07/23

Chinese state-controlled Sinopec Anqing has started commercial production at a new PP unit on 2 July after successful trial runs in late June, and plans to ramp up operations to 70pc this month.

The PP plant, located in Anqing city of Anhui province in east China, completed construction in December 2022. The plant has a capacity of 300,000 t/yr, and will use third generation Sinopec Technology (ST-III) in the production process.

Nine PP plants started operations in China during January-June, with a capacity addition of 2.95mn t/yr. Besides Sinopec Anqing, seven PP plants will start up in the second half of 2023, with a total capacity of 3.25mn t/yr. This will take the total capacity of the 17 plants to 6.5mn t/yr, and overall Chinese PP capacity to 48mn t/yr, leading to higher supply pressure in the long term.

PP start-ups in China 2023 ('000 t/yr)
Plant	Capacity	Start date
Sinopec Hainan	200	Feb
Sinopec Hainan	300	Feb
Petrochina Guangdong	500	Feb
Hongrun Petrochemical	450	Feb
Chambroad Petrochemical	400	Mar
Chambroad Petrochemical	200	Mar
Guangxi Hongyi New Material	300	Mid-Mar
Guangzhou Juzhengyuan Phase 2	300	May
Guangzhou Juzhengyuan Phase 2	300	May
Sinopec Anqing	300	Jul
Baofeng Energy Phase 3	500	late Jul
Oriental Maoming Phase 1	450	3Q
Anhui Tianda	300	3Q
Jinneng Petrochemical Phase 2	450	End 2023
Ningbo Jinfa New Material	800	End 2023
Quanzhou Guoheng Chemical	450	End 2023
Huizhou Lituo New Material	300	End 2023
Source: Chinese petrochemical producers

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