The new unit will be located at the Dongying Port Economic Development Zone in eastern Shandong province
BP signs license agreement with Weilian Chemical for PTA technology. (Credit: bp p.l.c.)
UK-based oil and gas company, BP has signed a license agreement with Weilian Chemical, a subsidiary of Dongying United Petrochemical, for the production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production technology.
Weilian Chemical is planning to build a 2.5 million tonnes per annum PTA production unit, for which the firm has selected bp’s proprietary PTA production technology in a global bidding process that was initiated last year.
The key features of the technology licensed to Weilian Chemical are said to have been proven at BP’s Zhuhai plant in southern China.
BP Petrochemicals chief operating officer Rita Griffin said: “We are pleased to be able to provide bp’s most advanced PTA technology, bpPTAg5, to Weilian Chemical, helping our partners to grow their business to meet the demand for high quality products with a lower carbon footprint. Together, we hope to lay strong foundations for future cooperation.”
To be located at the Dongying Port Economic Development Zone in eastern Shandong province, the new facility will be an addition to the existing refineries and paraxylene (PX) facilities portfolio of Dongying United Petrochemical.
The new unit is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020
BP said that the design of the new unit is underway and is estimated to be completed in the first half of the year while the initial production is expected by the second quarter of 2022.
Dongying United Petrochemical chairman Li Zhanchen said: “Adding a PTA production facility is an important step for our company to accelerate industrial transformation, while improving quality and efficiency.
“We are delighted to work together with bp, providing us with leading technology and services. With bp’s support, we believe our PTA project will start-up successfully, showcasing the fruitful cooperation between us.”
Furthermore, the PTA technology is expected to significantly reduce both operational costs and capital costs.
In May, BP Australia has announced plans for a feasibility study into an export-scale renewable hydrogen production facility in Western Australia.
The study will assess the feasibility of building a renewable hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Geraldton.