SINOPEC has become a shareholder in the Kazakhstan’s polyethylene project.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Sinopec president Zhao Dong and CEO of SIBUR Mikhail Karisalov to discuss the collaborative development of an integrated gas-chemical complex for polyethylene production.
With a capacity of 1.25 million tonnes per year, the project will eventually represent 1% of global capacity.
"During the meeting, a trilateral protocol was signed, officially marking Sinopec's entry into the project as a participant. The ownership structure now includes KazMunayGas with 40%, Sinopec with 30% and SIBUR with 30%," the statement said.
A gas separation complex will be built at the Tengiz field to supply raw materials (ethane) to the polyethylene project.
Its capacity will reach 9.1 bcm of dry gas processing per year, with the goal of producing 1.6 million tonnes of ethane.
Ethane will be transported via the main pipeline from Tengiz to the Karabatan site in the Atyrau region, where a polyethylene production plant will operate.
The project aims to produce approximately 22 grades of polyethylene using licensed technologies from American companies Chevron Phillips and Univation, with premium products accounting for 40% of production. Polyethylene is widely used in various industries and households, making it the most popular polymer globally.
SINOPEC collaborates on Kazakh polyethylene project
