China's Sinopec Zhenhai starts trial production at the new HDPE unit

According to market sources, Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company (Phase II) has started the trial production at one of its newly constructed HDPE lines. The company has achieved on-spec cargoes and currently working to stabilize the operating rates to prepare for the commercial run in the first week of January.

Based in Ningbo, China, the Phase II project includes two HDPE lines with a combined capacity of 600,000 tons/year. While one of the lines is up running, the company aims to start up the second line on 12 January 2022. 

Besides, a PP line with a nameplate capacity of 300,000 tons/year is also scheduled to come online in 2022. However, there is no specific date set at the time of this report. 

Sinopec Zhenhai also owns an existing plant (Phase I) at the same location, which produces 450,000 tons/year of HDPE/LLDPE, 500,000 tons/year of PP, 620,000 tons/year of styrene, and 650,000 tons/year of MEG.