Sinopec JV starts up new unit at Fujian integrated refining complex

Fujian Refining and Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (FREP) has commissioned a new alkylation unit at its 12-million tonnes/year (tpy) integrated refining and chemical production complex at the southern coast of Meizhou Bay in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China.

As of mid-December, FREP had started up and completed performance the performance test of the new STRATCO alkylation unit, certifying that the unit is meeting performance guarantees, technology licensor E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.’s DuPont Clean Technologies said in a release.

The STRATCO alkylation unit will process a mixed-butylene FCC feedstock into 7,700-b/sd (300,000-tpy) of low-sulfur, high-octane, low-rvp alkylate, enabling the complex to ensure its fuel production complies with the current China VI-A (equivalent to Euro 6) emission standard, which limits sulfur content in gasoline to a maximum of 10 ppm to help reduce automobile-generated pollution, according to the service provider.

Alkylate production from the unit also will comply with the pending China VI-B standard that—scheduled to take full effect in 2023—will further reduce levels of benzene, aromatics, and olefins in the gasoline pool, DuPont said.

Startup of FREP’s alkylation unit follows commissioning of six previous STRATCO units at China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) refineries (OGJ Online, Apr. 21, 2021).

Alongside Fujian Petrochemical Co. Limited (50%)—a joint venture of Sinopec and the Fujian government—FREP’s other shareholders include ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (25%) and Saudi Aramco Asia Co. Ltd. (25%).