BASF Starts Up Steam Cracker at Zhanjiang Verbund Site in China

BASF has successfully commissioned the steam cracker at its newly constructed Verbund site in Zhanjiang, South China, as planned. The facility is the world’s first steam cracker to operate its main compressors entirely on 100% renewable energy using electric drives (eDrives).

As the core of the Verbund, the steam cracker supplies essential basic chemicals such as ethylene and propylene to multiple downstream plants on site. Serving as the starting point for numerous chemical value chains, it cracks long-chain hydrocarbons such as naphtha or butane using steam. The facility has an ethylene production capacity of one million metric tonnes per year.

“This important milestone at our Zhanjiang Verbund site significantly strengthens BASF’s diversified value chains in China and positions us well to support customers across a wide range of industries,” said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and Chief Technology Officer.

Following the recent successful start-up of several propylene downstream units, BASF has now safely commissioned its ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, and polyethylene plants. Once fully operational, Zhanjiang will become BASF’s third-largest Verbund site globally, after Ludwigshafen and Antwerp, and is set to serve as a benchmark for sustainable chemical production in China and worldwide. The site will be powered entirely by electricity from renewable sources. Products manufactured at the Zhanjiang Verbund site will primarily serve customers in China, the world’s largest and fastest-growing chemical market.

Source: BASF