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The Nanjing site was originally set up with an investment of US$2.9b in 2000
10/01/2012
BASF, Sinopec announce US$1b of new projects
Joint venture completes second phase of Nanjing site
Helen Tunnicliffe
BASF-YPC joint venture partners BASF and Sinopec have signed a memorandum of understanding to invest a total of US$1b in new plants at its Nanjing petrochemicals site in eastern China.
The joint venture’s plans include a new 160,000 t/y acrylic acid facility, a new butyl acrylate plant, and increasing the capacity of the 2-propyl-heptanol plant. The construction of a 60,000 t/y superabsorbent polymers plant is due to begin later this year, with commercial production expected in 2014.
The Nanjing site was originally set up with an investment of US$2.9b in 2000. The second phase, which cost US$1.4b, was completed and unveiled in a ceremony today. The capacity of the existing steam cracker has been expanded to produce 740,000 t/y of ethylene and the capacity of the ethylene oxide plant was expanded to 330,000 t/y. Several new plants were constructed, including a non-ionic surfactants plant and an integrated C4 complex with butadiene and isobutene extraction plants, a 50,000 t/y polyisobutene plant and a 2-propyl-heptanol plant.
“The Nanjing site is a flagship example of our Verbund system, which achieves extremely efficient production and safety by clustering plants and re-using by-products,” said BASF SE vice chairman Martin Brudermüller.
