Liaoyang Complex | China Petroleum Daily (Aug 23, 2025)
The Liaoyang Complex is a large-scale integrated refining and petrochemical manufacturing base located in the southeastern suburbs of Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province, northeastern China. First established in 1974, it is historically significant as the birthplace of Dacron (polyester) fabric manufacturing in China. Over five decades it has evolved from a single chemical fiber facility into a fully integrated "oil–chemical–fiber" (油化纤) complex combining crude oil refining, aromatics, polyolefins, and chemical fiber production.
Crude Processing Capacity
| Unit |
Capacity |
| Crude Distillation (original, pre-expansion) |
110,000 bpd (~5.5 Mt/a) |
| Crude Distillation (post-2009 expansion) |
200,000 bpd (~10 Mt/a) |
| Current Primary Capacity |
10 Mt/a |
| Feedstock |
Russian pipeline crude oil (100%) |
The 2009 expansion — a strategic component of the Sino-Russia Petroleum Cooperation Agreement — transformed Liaoyang into China's first 200,000-bpd refinery designed exclusively to process Russian crude. Total investment was approximately USD 238 million.
Production Units & Key Capacities
| Product |
Capacity (t/y) |
Notes |
| Product |
Capacity (t/y) |
Notes |
| Paraxylene (PX) |
720,000 |
Two units; No. 2 PX unit restarted May 2025 |
| Polypropylene (PP) |
300,000 |
New plant commissioned August 2021 |
| HDPE/LLDPE swing |
400,000 |
Commissioned September 2021 |
| HDPE (standalone) |
400,000 |
Commissioned September 2021 |
| Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) |
Major producer |
Downstream of xylenes |
| Benzene |
Significant |
Aromatics complex |
| Ethylene Oxide (EO) |
Significant |
Downstream petrochemicals |
The complex operates 39 large-scale production units overall, with aromatics (xylenes/PX) accounting for the largest share of total annual output capacity.
Technology Licensors — Liaoyang Complex
The original grass-roots complex (1974-1979) was designed and built under a landmark 2-billion French Franc contract between China National Technical Import Corporation (CNTIC) and Technip in partnership with Speichim — the largest contract ever signed between France and China at the time. The full suite of process licensors for the 21 original units was as follows:
| Process Unit |
Technology Licensor |
Country |
| Process Unit |
Technology Licensor |
Country |
| Catalytic Reforming |
IFP (Institut Français du Pétrole) |
France |
| Hydrogen Production |
Technip |
France |
| Steam Cracker (Ethylene) |
IFP / Foster Wheeler Furnaces |
France / USA |
| Gasoline Hydrogenation |
IFP |
France |
| Ethylene Oxide Production |
Chemische Werke Hüls (CWH) |
Germany |
| Ethylene Glycol Production |
Chemische Werke Hüls (CWH) |
Germany |
| Aromatic Extraction |
IFP |
France |
| Paraxylene Production |
Atlantic Richfield / Engelhard |
USA |
| Dimethyl Terephthalate (DMT) |
Dynamit Nobel |
Germany |
| Polyester Production |
Rhône-Poulenc Textiles |
France |
| Nitric Acid (Nylon chain) |
Rhône Progil |
France |
| Cyclohexane |
IFP |
France |
| Cyclohexanone |
SUCRP |
France |
| Adipic Acid |
SUCRP |
France |
| Adiponitrile |
SUCRP |
France |
| Hexamethylenediamine (HMD) |
SUCRP |
France |
| Nylon Crystallisation |
SUCRP |
France |
Engineering and EPC contractor for the entire complex was Technip + Speichim (joint venture), delivering 45,000 tonnes of equipment across 4,400 items and training 230 Chinese technicians worldwide.
2009 Expansion (200,000 bpd Refinery Upgrade)
The 2009 Russian crude processing expansion was executed under the Sino-Russia Petroleum Cooperation Agreement. The specific process technology licensors for individual refining units in this expansion have not been publicly disclosed in available sources. The EPC contractor for the expansion was reported as a Chinese engineering firm working under CNPC supervision.
Key Production Areas
-
Refining: Atmospheric & vacuum distillation, hydrocracking (20,000 bpd), hydrorefining (40,000 bpd), sulfur recovery (30,000 t/y)
-
Aromatics: Paraxylene (PX), benzene, mixed xylenes
-
Polyolefins: Polypropylene (PP), HDPE, LLDPE
-
Polyester & Fibers: PTA, Dacron (polyester fabric) — China's original production base
-
Other chemicals: Ethylene, Ethylene Oxide (EO)
