Zhejiang Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (ZPC) has let contracts to Honeywell UOP LLC and Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS), both divisions of Honeywell International Inc., Des Plaines, Ill., to provide a range of process technologies, engineering design, equipment, and advanced automation controls for a grassroots 40-million tonne/year integrated refining and petrochemical complex in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China.
UOP and HPS will deliver their respective suites of refining-petrochemical process technologies and automation controls systems for the first development phase of the project, which will be able to process 20 million tpy of crude oil and produce 5 million tpy of aromatics, UOP said.
UOP’s scope of delivery for the project includes licensing, design, key equipment, and all associated catalysts and adsorbents, for the following:
• A two-train aromatics complex based on UOP’s LD Parex process—including its Sulfolane, Isomar, and Tatoray process technologies—that will produce 4 million tpy of paraxylene.
• A residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) complex based on UOP’s RCD Unionfining and RFCC processes for upgrading 5 million tpy of residual oil into fuels.
• A propane dehydrogenation unit based on UOP’s Oleflex process that will produce 600,000 tpy of polymer-grade propylene.
• A hydrocracking unit based on UOP’s Unicracking process for conversion of vacuum gas oil into petrochemical feedstock.
• Two continuous catalytic reforming (CCR) units based on UOP’s CCR Platforming process for production of aromatics and blend stocks used to make high-octane fuels.
• A naphtha hydrotreating unit based on UOP’s Unionfining process for sulfur removal.
For control of all refining and petrochemical processing units at the site, HPS will implement its Experion distributed control system—designed and configured for Honeywell UOP processes—to integrate all process control-safety systems and automation software for ZPC.
Designed to further China’s goal of becoming a self-sufficient producer of paraxylene and other raw feedstocks that domestic manufacturers use to make plastic resins, films, and fibers, ZPC’s complex, once completed, will be the largest crude-to-chemicals complex in China, according to the service provider.
Honeywell did not disclose either the value or durations of the contracts.
Complex overview
Established in June 2015 as a joint venture of China-based Rongsheng Holding Group Co. Ltd., Juhua Group Corp., Tongkun Group Co. Ltd., and Zhoushan Marine Comprehensive Development Investment Co. Ltd., ZPC will invest about 160 billion yuan to complete both phases of the project, Phase 1 of which is due for startup by December 2018, according to ZPC’s web site.
Planned to nearly double processing and production capabilities at the site, Phase 2 of the complex is scheduled to be commissioned during first-quarter 2021, the company said.
As currently proposed, the refining complex will be configured to process a mix of light, medium, and heavy crudes from Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as Brazilian Frade, according to a 2016 environmental impact assessment for the project posted to the city of Zhoushan’s official government web site.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
