Dushanzi Petrochemical Tarim Phase II ethylene complex: recent progress, technologies and portfolio
In November 2025, construction of key supporting facilities for the Dushanzi Petrochemical Tarim Phase II 1.2 Mt/a ethylene project in Korla, Xinjiang, is progressing, with the chemical warehouse and living service center now handed over or in operation. The project will build a grassroots ethylene complex using local ethane, LPG and light hydrocarbons from the Tarim oilfield, including units for ethylene, full‑density PE, LDPE/EVA, PP, butadiene extraction, MTBE/1‑butene, cis‑butadiene rubber, cracked gasoline and aromatics extraction, producing a portfolio of polyolefins, rubber, MTBE, aromatics and by‑products such as polyethylene wax and butadiene. It positions the complex as part of CNPC’s plan to create a large base for ethylene from light feedstocks, improve utilization of regional resources and support higher‑value refining‑petrochemical development.
Project facilities
Construction of the Dushanzi Petrochemical Tarim Ethylene Phase II project’s chemical warehouse started on 30 June 2024 and has now passed initial handover after around 500 days of work by the PMT5 project team and several contractors. The warehouse includes 16 buildings with a total floor area of over 2,000 m² and uses modular design and functional zoning to meet high safety standards.
On 10 November 2025, the worker dormitory and gym of the project’s living service center were commissioned in the Korla Shangku High‑tech Petrochemical Park. The living service center is a key regional project with a total floor area of 48,414.86 m², combining offices, meeting and archive functions, shift apartments, canteen and sports facilities to support site operations and staff welfare.
Ethylene project scope
The Dushanzi Petrochemical Tarim Phase II ethylene project officially started construction on 28 September 2023. It will build a 1.2 Mt/a ethylene unit, a 300 kt/a LDPE unit with EVA capability, a 450 kt/a polypropylene unit and two 450 kt/a full‑density polyethylene units, among other installations.
| Unit name | Design capacity (t/a) | Corrected technology / licensor (as of July 2026) |
| Ethylene unit | 1,200,000 | PetroChina proprietary ethane-cracking technology |
| Cracked gasoline hydrogenation unit | 350,000 | PetroChina proprietary process technology |
| FDPE unit ×2 | 2 × 450,000 | PetroChina self-developed gas-phase fluidized-bed technology (changed from originally planned Unipol license) |
| LDPE/EVA unit | 300,000 | LyondellBasell Lupotech T tubular process (unchanged, license retained) |
| PP unit | 450,000 | Huanqiu Beijing / PetroChina self-developed PP polymerization technology (first industrial application) |
| Butadiene extraction unit | 120,000 | PetroChina proprietary process technology |
| MTBE / 1-butene unit | 80,000 / 40,000 | PetroChina proprietary process technology |
| Cis-butadiene rubber unit ×2 | 2 × 50,000 | PetroChina proprietary process technology (cis-1,4-polybutadiene, not SSBR/SBS) |
| Cracked gasoline unit | 340,000 | PetroChina proprietary process technology |
| Aromatics extraction unit | 250,000 | SED-BTX aromatics extraction process (Petrochemical Research Institute) |
The project site is the Korla Shangku High‑tech Industrial Development Zone petrochemical park, and the project is a grassroots development. According to the second public environmental‑impact notice released on 26 April 2023, the complex includes an ethylene unit, FDPE, LDPE (with EVA), PP, butadiene extraction, MTBE/1‑butene, cis‑butadiene rubber, cracked gasoline and aromatics extraction units, together with utilities, auxiliary production and storage/handling facilities.
Products and feedstock
Planned main products are HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE, EVA, PP, cis‑butadiene rubber, MTBE, cracked C5, benzene, toluene, mixed xylenes and cracked fuel oil, with by‑products including polyethylene wax, butadiene and C9+ aromatics.
The project processes local ethane, LPG and light hydrocarbons from the Tarim oilfield to produce ethylene, targeting large scale, short process routes, relatively low investment, short construction period and high returns.
| Main unit | Design capacity (t/a) | Product | Output (t/a) | Destination/use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethylene unit | 1,200,000 | Hydrogen | 11,900 | To hydrogen pipe network |
| Methane-rich gas | 443,100 | 356,700 self-consumed, remainder to fuel gas network | ||
| Ethylene | 1,200,000 | FDPE unit 873,300; LDPE/EVA unit 303,000; PP unit 23,700 | ||
| Propylene | 413,400 | To PP unit | ||
| Cracked C4 | 296,800 | To butadiene extraction unit | ||
| Cracked gasoline | 342,200 | To cracked-gasoline hydrogenation unit | ||
| Cracked fuel oil | 44,700 | Intermediate tank farm | ||
| Cracked gasoline hydrogenation | 350,000 | Hydrogenation tail gas | 2,800 | Back to ethylene unit |
| Cracked C5 | 4,900 | Product tank farm | ||
| Hydrogenated gasoline | 238,300 | To aromatics extraction unit | ||
| C9+ and heavy components | 17,200 | Product tank farm | ||
| FDPE unit (2×450,000) | 900,000 | HDPE | 527,800 | For sale |
| LLDPE | 370,100 | For sale | ||
| LDPE/EVA unit | 300,000 | LDPE | 300,000 | For sale |
| EVA | 300,000 | For sale (swing plant — alternates between LDPE and EVA campaigns, each up to full 300,000 t/a capacity, not simultaneous) | ||
| PP unit | 450,000 | Impact copolymer PP | 187,200 | For sale |
| Random copolymer PP | 99,300 | For sale | ||
| Homopolymer PP | 158,400 | For sale | ||
| Butadiene extraction | 120,000 | 1,3-Butadiene | 114,800 | 13,500 sold externally, remainder to cis-butadiene rubber unit |
| Raffinate C4 | 175,700 | To MTBE/1-butene unit | ||
| Propyne tail gas | 2,700 | Back to ethylene unit | ||
| Hydrogenated C4 | 3,900 | Back to ethylene unit | ||
| MTBE/1-butene unit | 80,000/40,000 | MTBE | 82,500 | For sale |
| 1-Butene | 35,000 | To FDPE unit | ||
| Remaining C4 | 88,000 | Back to ethylene unit | ||
| Cis-butadiene rubber (2×50,000) | 100,000 | Nickel-based cis-BR | 50,000 | For sale |
| Rare-earth (neodymium) cis-BR | 50,000 | For sale | ||
| Aromatics extraction | 250,000 | Benzene | 79,600 | For sale |
| Toluene | 51,400 | For sale | ||
| Xylene | 30,100 | For sale | ||
| Raffinate oil | 77,300 | For sale |
Strategic role
Once completed, the complex together with the existing ethane‑to‑ethylene facilities will form one of China’s largest bases using C2 and light feedstocks for ethylene production. The project is intended to support local utilization of resources, secure outlets for light components from the oilfield, enhance the natural‑gas value chain and support CNPC’s refining‑petrochemical business development.
Note: Information details based on the second public announcement of public participation in the environmental impact assessment of the Tarim 1.2 million tons/year phase II ethylene project of Dushanzi Petrochemical Company released on April 26, 2023 on the Korla government website, and on the progress report published by Process Industry (Nov 21, 2025) titled: Dushanzi Petrochemical Tarim Phase II ethylene project chemical warehouse handed over.
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