Dayawan to grow as world-class petrochemical eco-base

The Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone in the Pearl River Delta city of Huizhou, Guangdong province is striving to develop its petrochemical area into a world-class eco-base for petrochemical industry in the subsequent few years.

Realizing its importance, sixty journalists from top media houses across the world visited the Dayawan zone on Nov 17.

The ongoing massive expansion project of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is making the zone's leaders more confident than ever of the ambition.

The second-phase oil refinery project of CNOOC, which began construction in 2013 is expected to have an annual oil refinery capacity of 10 million tons and ethylene production capacity of 1.2 million tons upon its operation in late 2016.

"A total capital of 11.44 billion yuan ($1.79 billion) had been poured into the project and 29.47 percent of the project had been finished by late September this year, right in the pipeline," said Wu Xin, executive deputy director-general of the zone's administrative committee. She pointed out this view in the sidelines a foreign media FAM visit to Guangdong, which is going on from Nov 16 and will continue till 20.

More than 60 newsmen from some 30 of the world's key media organizations including the New York Times and Bloomberg of the United States, BBC and Reuters of the United Kingdom, NHK and Yomiuri Shinbun of Japan as well as Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore are part of the media tour. They paid a visit to the site.

According to Wu, the zone plans to enhance the oil refinery capacity to 22 million tons and ethylene production capacity to 2.2 million tons. The petrochemical industrial output value aims to reach 270 billion yuan in 2017, a benchmark for the world's top 30 petrochemical industrial zones.

For 2020, the zone mulls to have a yearly oil refinery capacity of 40 million tons and ethylene production capacity of 3.5 million tons. With a gross industrial yield surpassing 320 billion yuan, it targets the status of the world top 10 petrochemical industrial zone.

The petrochemical area in the zone has accomplished the gross industrial output of 119.32 billion yuan in 2014 and the figure is expected to touch 150 billion yuan this year, the official cited statistics as saying.

The area is now home to 48 petrochemical projects funded by international chemical and industrial giants from over 20 countries and regions across the world including Clariant, Bridgestone and BASF. With the aggregate investments of 131.6 billion yuan, these projects play dynamic roles in shaping up the industrial chains of oil refinery, ethylene, propylene and butylene in the area.

The official added that the appeal of the area to international chemical giants much comes down to the two colossal projects - the CNOOC-Shell joint venture and the oil refinery project of CNOOC, which have been put into operation respectively in 2008 and 2009.

Further endeavors to seek new investments apart, the official claimed the zone will attach equal importance to safe production and environmental protection in an attempt to grow into a national model eco-industrial park in the foreseeable future.

Journalists visit Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Huizhou, Guangdong province on Nov 17. [Photos provided to China Daily]

Journalists visit the oil refinery project of CNOOC at Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Huizhou, Guangdong province on Nov 17. [Photos provided to China Daily]