Sinopec starts construction of hydrofining unit in Jiujang

China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) has started construction of a gasoline hydrofining project in Jiujang City, Jiangxi Province. The plant, valued at RMB167 million (US$24.44 million), is expected to be completed in January 2010, media reports said. The estimated gasoline output of the plant is 900,000 tons per year (tpy) or 18,000 barrels per day (bpd), with a maximum sulfur content of 0.02%. Last year, Sinopec completed the expansion of the Jiujiang refinery, which now has a crude oil processing capacity of 6.5 million tpy or 130,000 bpd. Sinopec’s move to produce lower sulfur gasoline are in line with the Chinese government’s plan to adopt Euro III fuel standards nationwide by year end. (May 29, 2009)