PetroChina registers successive ethylene output milestones across three petrochemical bases

According to China National Petroleum Corporation, released on 15 October 2026, Daqing Petrochemical, Guangxi Petrochemical and Sichuan Petrochemical have each secured key production breakthroughs for ethylene.

By 5 October, Daqing Petrochemical had hit an annual ethylene output of one million tonnes within a 278-day production cycle, marking the eleventh consecutive year it has reached this threshold. 

The site has integrated the Kunpeng Large Model into its operational platform to support coordinated plant command. A Beidou intelligent inspection system achieved full site coverage in April, lifting inspection efficiency by nearly 50 per cent. 

Predictive modelling for equipment faults has shifted maintenance arrangements from breakdown repairs to pre-emptive checks. Cracking furnace 4 within the third cracking train set a new operating record of 95 continuous days. 

A catalytic dry-gas C2 recovery unit has also been commissioned to recycle vented gas into ethylene-rich feedstock, adding roughly 40 tonnes of ethylene per day. 

The ethylene yield from cracking units rose by 1.09 per cent year on year in the first nine months, while its polypropylene unit established a long-run operating benchmark for comparable domestic facilities.

By 06:00 on 4 October, the 1.2 million tonne per annum ethylene plant at Guangxi Petrochemical had produced more than one million tonnes of ethylene over 11 months of operation, signalling entry into stable large-scale production. The unit first achieved successful start-up on 26 October 2025. Operators have refined control procedures and adjusted operating parameters, with round-the-clock monitoring to respond to process variations. 

Capacity utilisation has remained above 90 per cent. Increased naphtha sharing has supported lighter, higher-quality feedstock and strengthened supply security, lifting ethylene and diene yields. Stable ethylene supply has filled gaps in basic chemical feedstock for south-west and south China, supporting linked sectors including polyolefins, synthetic rubber and advanced materials. Thirteen new product grades have been developed.

By the end of September, cumulative ethylene output since commissioning at Sichuan Petrochemical exceeded 10 million tonnes, alongside more than 34 million tonnes of assorted chemical products. 

The site has optimised production structures through refining-chemical integration, balancing material flows and feedstock ratios, alongside full-lifecycle equipment management and dynamic process tuning. Multiple core operational indicators reached historic highs in 2026. 

The facility has shifted from production-only towards market-focused operation, adopting rolling sales planning, 24-hour response frameworks and customised product supply. 

It has prioritised the shift away from fuel output towards chemical production, expanding its portfolio of high-end materials. Output of new materials climbed more than 160 per cent in the first half of the year. 

The site acts as a core industrial anchor, drawing upstream and downstream suppliers through on-site matching and direct pipeline transfer, and maintains high regional market share and local consumption rates.