BYLB launches refinery ethane use to enhance feedstock efficiency

This initiative further diversifies the feedstock structure of BLYB crackers, enhancing efficient resource utilisation and feedstock cost optimisation.

The usage of refinery ethane at BLYB marks a significant step forward in advancing refining-petrochemical integration and optimising resource allocation through collaboration between BLYB and upstream refinery under Jincheng. The newly constructed refinery ethane unit at Jincheng's refinery recovers and refines gases such as coke oven dry gas, light hydrocarbon gas, and low-cut gas – previously used as fuel – producing approximately 330 000 tpy (design capacity) of high-quality refinery ethane. The produced refinery ethane is transported via pipeline to the adjacent BLYB ethylene plant, serving as a high quality feedstock for ethylene cracking, significantly enhancing cracking efficiency and ethylene yield. The utilisation of ethylene-rich gas at BLYB aligns with industry trends toward refinery-chemical production integration and the use of lighter feedstocks for cracking. It substantially improves resource utilisation efficiency, effectively reduces transportation and storage costs and losses, and achieves both environmental and economic benefits.

“The usage of the refinery ethane supply system fully demonstrates the highly efficient synergy between refining and downstream chemical production,” stated Jiang Changquan, Chairman of Liaoning Jincheng Petrochemical. “We will continue to optimise resource allocation, strengthen the stable supply of high-value feedstock such as refinery ethane, and contribute to building a more efficient, low-carbon, and economically competitive integration between Jincheng Refinery and BLYB.”

“BLYB is one of our largest joint ventures in Asia,” said Allen Yu, Senior Vice President of Polyolefins, LyondellBasell Asia Pacific. “Through the efficient utilisation of refinery ethane, we have not only enhanced the flexibility and sustainability of our feedstock supply chain but also demonstrated our continued commitment to advancing sustainability goals at LyondellBasell.”

Limin Fu, Vice President of Polyolefins and Joint Venture Management, LyondellBasell China, and Chairman of the Board of BLYB, added: “The start of refinery ethane usage in BLYB crackers marks a key breakthrough for BLYB in feedstock security, resource synergy, and low-carbon transformation, laying a solid foundation for stable operations and continuous optimisation. Moving forward, we will continue to leverage the strengths of both shareholders to further improve operational excellence and strengthen the company’s core competitiveness.”

BLYB also officially announced the update of its legal entity name to ‘Bright LyondellBasell Petrochemical Co. Ltd,’ reflecting the evolution of its shareholder structure. The company’s abbreviation ‘BLYB’ and brand identity remain unchanged.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/04112025/bylb-launches-refinery-ethane-use-to-enhance-feedstock-efficiency/