Yanchang to build refinery in Shaanxi

Yanchang Petroleum Group, China’s fourth-largest oil producer, has started construction of an integrated refinery project in northwestern Shaanxi province, with a total investment of RMB6.1 billion (US$800 million). The project will be built in two phases. The first phase of the project at Yangzhuanghe in Shaanxi will begin trial operations in the first half of 2009. Phase two is expected to be on stream by 2010. The refinery will produce transportation that are Euro III-compliant. Among the units to be built are a benzene extractor with annual capacity of 200,000 tons, a diesel hydrotreater with annual capacity of 1.4 million tons and a gas distillation facility with annual capacity of 600,000 tons. (June 8, 2007)