In the morning mist, Changxing Island in Dalian, surrounded by the Bohai Bay, is quietly brewing a huge transformation that can reshape the pattern of the petrochemical industry in northern China. With the finalization of a key pre service procurement, the Dalian Petrochemical (Xizhong Island) Refining and Chemical Integration Project, with a total investment of 68.5 billion yuan, has taken a decisive step towards substantive construction in early spring 2026.

This is not just the relocation or construction of a factory, but also a key component of China Petroleum's future energy and chemical industry chain layout in the Northeast region. How will it go from blueprint to reality? How will it affect the regional economy and industrial ecology?

68.5 billion project launches strongest brain

Planning and approval are the first hurdle that must be overcome before a project can be implemented. Recently, the procurement results of the "Construction Condition Demonstration Consulting Service" for the Dalian Petrochemical (Xizhong Island) Refining and Chemical Integration Project have been announced, and the Petroleum and Chemical Industry Planning Institute has become a candidate for the transaction. This is like inviting the most authoritative 'navigator' before a giant ship sets sail.

This service corresponds to the key demonstration work of transitioning the project from reserve to formal planning and obtaining approval. Its core task is to carry out construction condition demonstration, policy linkage sorting, and technical path optimization in advance around the strict requirements of national industrial planning and project approval. At present, the feasibility study report of the project has been approved at the level of China National Petroleum Corporation, and the funding source is clearly owned by the enterprise. With the involvement of professional think tanks, the relevant preparatory work is accelerating and advancing in parallel, laying a solid foundation for the "life permit" of the project.

In super projects with similar investment scales, this model of deep involvement of professional institutions in the preliminary demonstration to support the national level approval process has become an industry practice. This ensures that the project can withstand scrutiny in multiple dimensions such as technology, policy, and environmental protection, and is a necessary prerequisite for achieving scientific decision-making and compliance construction.

Millions of tons of refining and high-end chemical industry cluster

So, what exactly is this "giant" that costs nearly 70 billion yuan to build? The public information outlines a clear and grand industrial blueprint.

The essence of the project is the relocation and reconstruction of a large refining enterprise, and the new home has been selected in the advantageous location of Dalian Changxing Island Economic Zone. Its device configuration fully reflects the modern development concept of "integration, scale, and refinement" in the petrochemical industry.

Refining cornerstone: Plan to build a chemical refining unit with a capacity of up to 10 million tons per year to provide abundant raw materials for downstream. It is worth noting that some refining units will consider utilizing existing facilities and optimizing their combination with newly built systems to achieve efficient resource utilization.

Ethylene Leader: With a 1.2 million tons/year ethylene plant as the core, we aim to create a strong low-carbon olefin comprehensive utilization center. Ethylene is known as the "mother of the petrochemical industry", and its scale and downstream extension depth directly determine the value of the industrial chain.

High end extension: The downstream product chain is fully developed around ethylene, targeting high-end polyolefins and specialty materials. The identified facilities include 400000 tons/year polypropylene (PP), 2 sets of 450000 tons/year full density polyethylene (FDPE), 300000 tons/year high-pressure low-density polyethylene (LDPE), 200000 tons/year polyolefin elastomer (POE), and 300000 tons/year epichlorohydrin (CHPPO). These devices form a close relationship between raw material supply and product connection, aiming to build a modern chemical park with efficient internal circulation and high product added value.

Parallel sprint before the start of construction in 2026

According to the plan, this massive project aims to start construction by 2026. However, there is still a lot of work to be done meticulously before the machine roars.

At the current stage, the main line of project promotion is clear and firm: to fully complete all the conditions required for inclusion in relevant national industrial planning, and to improve all the prerequisites for project approval. The establishment of the consulting service phase is a key chess piece on this main line. At the same time, multiple preliminary tasks are being carried out in parallel, and this fast-paced intersection of "argumentation" and "preparation" is quite common in major projects.

From consultation and argumentation, to design optimization, to various special evaluations and administrative approvals, every step is related to whether the project can ultimately be successfully implemented. Despite the tight pace of progress, the actual progress of the project will still depend on the results of subsequent national approval procedures and the final implementation of key elements such as land, environmental protection, and energy consumption.

On the banks of Xizhong Island, a layout related to the future competitiveness of China's petrochemical industry has been launched. This planned integrated refining and chemical base not only carries the mission of transforming and upgrading traditional petrochemical enterprises, but also shoulders the expectation of promoting the revitalization of Northeast China and enhancing China's voice in the global high-end chemical industry. Every step of its progress has attracted the attention of the industry and the market.Editor/Yang Meiling