Sinopec to upgrade refining capacity

State-owned China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) is planning to upgrade the refining capacity of the company’s refining base located in Kuche County to 10 million tons by 2015. Sinopec Tahe Petrochemical Corp., a refining unit of Sinopec said that Sinopec will also expand the output of its Tahe oilfield which is located in the Tarim Basin, to more than 10 million metric tons by 2015. The company is increasing the number of oil and gas filling stations it owns and operates in Xinjiang to more than 800, in order to satisfy increasing demand in the Xinjiang market. The expansion project in Xinjiang will cost more than CNY 53 billion (US$8.4 billion) from 2011-2015. (February 14, 2012)