At the end of 2007, the Wuhan 800,000-ton-per-year ethylene project officially commenced construction. According to Sinopec's officials, the project is expected to achieve a 90% localization rate in terms of equipment quantity, and more than 70% in terms of investment value. This significant milestone highlights China’s growing capability in developing large-scale petrochemical infrastructure independently.
The newly built production facilities include a total of 1,588 process equipment units, with 1,435 being domestically produced and 153 imported. The reasons for importing these specific units mainly stem from the complexity of internal components and foreign patents. Additionally, domestic manufacturers lack the necessary experience and face challenges in sourcing high-quality raw materials and supporting components that meet international standards.
Notably, the core "three machines" of the million-ton ethylene plant—cracking furnace, compressor, and steam turbine—have been developed through collaboration with previous projects in Zhenhai, Tianjin, and Fushun. Key companies like Shenyang Blower (Group) Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd. are leading the development efforts, and the progress remains on track.
The total investment for the Wuhan ethylene project amounts to 14.67 billion yuan. It includes eight major production units, such as the 800,000-ton ethylene cracker, 500,000-ton pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation unit, 120,000-ton butadiene extraction unit, 400,000-ton aromatics extraction unit, 300,000-ton HDPE unit, 300,000-ton LLDPE unit, 60,000-ton ethylene oxide unit, 300,000-ton ethylene glycol unit, and a 400,000-ton polypropylene facility. This project marks the only large-scale petrochemical initiative planned by the country in the central region during the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan†period and is expected to be completed and operational by 2010.
In terms of procurement, the project will primarily use domestic electrical equipment, while instrumentation equipment will be sourced through open bidding, ensuring transparency and competitiveness in the supply chain.
Channel Steel
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