Aramco and joint venture partners NORINCO Group and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group plan to start construction of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in northeast China. Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Company (HAPCO), a joint venture between Aramco (30%), NORINCO Group (51%), and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group (19%), is developing the complex that will combine a 300,000 barrels per day refinery and a petrochemical plant with annual production capacity of 1.65 million metric tons of ethylene and 2 million metric tons of paraxylene. Construction is due to start in the second quarter of 2023 after the project secured the required administrative approvals. It is expected to be fully operational by 2026. Aramco will supply up to 210,000 bpd of crude oil feedstock to the complex, which is being built in the city of Panjin, in China’s Liaoning province. This important project will support China’s growing demand across fuel and chemical products. It also represents a major milestone in our ongoing downstream expansion strategy in China and the wider region, which is an increasingly significant driver of global petrochemical demand. — Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco executive vice president of Downstream Zou Wenchao, NORINCO Group deputy general manager, said: “This large-scale refinery and petrochemical complex is a key project of NORINCO Group to implement and realize the joint development of the high-quality Belt and Road initiative, promote industrial restructuring, and enhance the oil and petrochemical sector to become stronger, better and larger. “It will play an important role in deepening economic and trade cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, and achieving common development and prosperity,” he added. Jia Fei, Panjin Xincheng chairman of the board, said: "The project is of great significance for Panjin to promote increasing chemicals and specialty products, strengthening integration of the refining and chemical industry. It is a symbolic project for Panjin as it seeks to accelerate the development of an important national petrochemical and fine chemical industry base.” Caption for top photo: Amin Nasser, Aramco president and CEO; Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco executive vice president of Downstream; Shiquan Liu, NORINCO Group chairman; and Lecheng Li, Deputy Secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Liaoning Province, witness the signing of an agreement to commence construction of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in northeast China. The agreement was signed by Anwar Al Hejazi, Aramco Asia President (sitting left), Yongqiang Ren, North Huajin chairman (sitting center), and Fei Jia, Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group Chairman (sitting right).