Sinopec to delay Fujian refinery expansion launch

China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) is pushing back to mid-2009 the start-up of its US$3.6 billion integrated refining and ethylene expansion project in Quanzhou, in China’s southeastern coastal Fujian province. Sinopec gave no reason for the delay, which was backed by Fujian Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd. (FRPC), a joint venture between Fujian Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (50%), ExxonMobil Corp. (25%) and Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (25%). FRPC started the Quanzhou refinery and petrochemical expansion phase in July 2005, which aims to triple the capacity at the company’s four million metric ton per year (mtpy) refinery. It will also add new petrochemical facilities at the complex, including an 800,000 mtpy ethylene steam cracker, a 650,000 mtpy polyethylene unit, a 400,000 mtpy polypropylene unit and a one million mtpy aromatics unit. (February 4, 2009)