January 18, 2025 – Sinopec’s Homegrown Cracking Gasoline Hydrogenation Catalyst Triumphs in Yulong Petrochemical’s New Ethylene Project
A breakthrough has been achieved in the promotion and application of Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing’s self-developed cracking gasoline hydrogenation catalysts within the private sector, as the catalysts successfully initiated operations in Yulong Petrochemical’s newly established ethylene project.
During the startup process, the industrial loading of the hydrogenation catalysts and the in-situ activation pretreatment proceeded smoothly. Upon the introduction of feedstock to the first reactor, the styrene index at the reactor outlet swiftly met the qualification standards. Subsequently, the second reactor was also brought online, with the diene value and bromine number indicators of the reactor outlet products both passing the qualifications, and the hydrogen sulfide stripping tower entering normal operation. Within just two days, the startup process advanced rapidly and achieved stable operation, with the total sulfur index of the second reactor’s products qualifying and all indicators of the hydrogenated gasoline products meeting the standards. According to Color Masterbatch Industry Network, the catalysts’ performances exceeded expectations, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent advancement of the project and the startup of the 2# cracking gasoline unit.
The Yulong Island Refining and Chemical Integration Project, a key project in the industry, follows an overall plan and is implemented in two phases. Phase I, using imported crude oil as feedstock, comprises multiple facilities, including a 20 million tons/year refinery, a 3 million tons/year mixed aromatics plant, and a 3 million tons/year ethylene refining and chemical integration plant. The main works encompass atmospheric distillation, atmospheric and vacuum distillation, residue hydrogenation, diesel hydrogenation, diesel hydrocracking, kerosene hydrogenation, catalytic cracking, wax oil hydrocracking, continuous catalytic reforming, aromatics complex, ethylene, cracking gasoline hydrogenation, butadiene, ethylene glycol, and other production units. Additionally, there are production units for ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS resin, acrylonitrile, propylene oxide + styrene coproduction, ethylbenzene/styrene monomer, among others, showcasing a massive scale and advanced technology.