264:
had been done, and fined it 200,000 yuan in
January 2013 for starting construction prior to an approval. In May 2013, it had requested that the National Development and Reform Commission, in charge of economic planning, stop the project. Until the plant opened in 2013, China had imported 53% of its paraxylene. On July 30, 2013, before its start up, a "small blast" occurred at the Gulei plant, when its 3.2-million-tpy hydrocracker unit was tested and a hydrogen pipeline leaked. This incident delayed start-up by one week. No casualties or toxic leaks were reported at that time.
260:, to produce p-xylene and a nearby Xianglu company factory to transform p-xylene into polyethylene terephthalate. By the end of 2009, there were 16 PX producers by 13 companies, nearly doubling capacity over the next years, with the petrochemical department at China International Engineering Consulting Corp predicting that China needed "to build at least 10 new PX facilities each with a capacity to produce 800,000 tons of the chemical a year over the next decade".
237:". In March 2007, Zhao Yufen, a chemistry professor at Xiamen University had collected 105 signatures by members of China's "top political advisory body" opposing the project and, in June, thousands of Xiamen residents protested, forcing local officials to drop the plan". After this "rare mass protest", the parent company Xianglu moved the project to Zhangzhou. The company initially intended to build in
25:
299:
called the massive fire an "inferno", and that chemical defense corps members of the army fought amongst the firefighters. It quoted Wen
Yunchao, who participated in the Xiamen protests, but has been staying the U.S., as saying "This is a sad situation for the residents in Zhangzhou". Ma Tianjie from
263:
The plant was expected to begin production in mid 2012, but "was delayed by slower-than-expected construction and problems in gaining environmental clearance". Other sources reported that the
Ministry of Environmental Protection opposed the project in October 2012, because no environmental assessment
312:
On April 9, 2015 news spread that the fire had been put out. About 29,096 people had been evacuated per Xinhua, as some 10,500 people had moved to new homes by the end of 2014, but "more than 400 people were still living in the area", according to the director of the management committee of Gulei
357:
As of 2018, the plant was reorganised and renamed
Fuhaichuang, 90% owned by the Chinese government via Fuhua Gulei Petrochemical Co Ltd and 10% by Dragon Aromatics, Taiwan’s Xianglu Group. After a 3-year shutdown, the repaired plant was to restart operations by June or July 2018 with a splitter
283:
wrote that an oil spill had caused the fire burning in three massive storage tanks, injured 14 people, six of them severely enough to go to hospital, four of them were firefighters. It reported that, on April 7, 350 police and more than 600 firefighters were at the scene, and that more than 400
217:
As of 2015, the plant included two PX production lines and a benzene unit, each with a capacity to produce 800,000 tpy of paraxylene per unit (and 1.6 million tpy total) and 240,000 tpy of benzene, which was twice the PX (800,000 tpy) and about 5% more of the benzene (228,000 tpy) that had been
348:
In the days after the fire, the ministry of environmental protection released draft regulation, allowing representatives of environmental organizations to "scrutinise" the ministry's performance and assisting public-interest groups in lawsuits they may file.
304:
said that there were no reports of leakage into groundwater, that the 16 PX plants had a production capacity of 10 million tons per year and that Dragon
Aromatics was only 8% of China’s PX production. Lin Boqiang, a US-trained energy economist at
249:
284:
soldiers were deployed, forcing evacuations of residents within a vicinity of 18 km. Officials had said that fires had been put out at 4:40pm, yet 3 hours later the fire restarted. BBC reported on 8 April 2015, citing
338:
Local news coverage of the incident by
Dongnan Zaobao (Southeast Morning News) was censored, while "China Central Television carried footage of the fire, with flames shooting into the air, but provided few details".
187:. The one million tonnes a year of light naphtha were supposed to be marketed to Chinese plants making ethylene. The original plan of using heavy naphtha as feedstock was later modified to add a condensate splitter.
288:, that "foam sprayed by firefighters to cover the residue was becoming unstable due to the heat and was disintegrating, and was being shifted by strong winds". One of the tanks of about 1,500 tonnes of liquid
107:
After a 3 year repair, Dragon
Aromatics was reorganised and renamed Fuhaichuang, 90% owned by the Chinese government via Fuhua Gulei Petrochemical Co Ltd, and 10% by Dragon Aromatics, Taiwan’s Xianglu Group.
748:
The condensate, a byproduct from Iran's South Pars gas project, would go to independent petrochemicals producer Dragon
Aromatics. Dragon is set to expand its condensate splitter by nearly 40 percent this
535:
175:
for purification. The PX facility was originally designed to turn heavy naphtha feedstock into PX by "aromizing" or mixed aromatics production, paraxylene purification, C8 aromatics isomerization (
279:
On 6 April 2015, a chemical fire at a pumping station for condensate storage in
Zhangzhou caused an explosion and injured 6 people, before 430 fire fighters were reported to have put it out. The
233:
province, and received a license to build a petrochemical complex producing PX there. This was surprising given that "Chen's other plants in Xiamen had already been cited for repeated emissions
104:
for polyester fiber and garment manufacturers since 2013. In April 2015, an oil spill caused a massive explosion and fire, which burnt for 4 days and led to the evacuation of 30,000 residents.
268:
441:
954:
925:
998:
1018:
1013:
229:
Dragon
Aromatics is a subsidiary of the Taiwanese Xianglu Dragon Group, owned by Taiwanese expatriate tycoon Chen Yu-hao. In 2004, Dragon Aromatics was based in
557:
727:
894:
840:
705:
507:
335:
had reported that "China’s Dragon Aromatics has shut its paraxlyene (PX) facility in Zhangzhou earlier in the week for a scheduled maintenance."
587:
1023:
324:
1003:
675:
1008:
993:
271:, Reuters reported that Iran was to supply China more condensate under a new contract, specifically mentioning Dragon Aromatics.
221:
By the end of April 2015, the plant was to increase condensate splitting to 5.5 million tonnes a year (137,000 barrels per day).
309:
and director of the Energy Economics Research Center, said "that the amount of punishment that can be issued is ...too low,”.
140:
of the Pacific ocean. Gulei peninsula was once famous for carrot production, and the area used in flower and fruit production.
788:
867:
416:
320:
156:
chips and fiber. It uses a production process called ParamaX, licensed by a French company named Axens, seated in
332:
735:
474:
390:
280:
342:
According to the Fujian occupational safety agency, the fire was caused by "flaws in production procedures".
206:(228,000 tpy per 2007 plan), "the starting block of a large set of polymeric materials such as nylon fibers,
163:
In a 4-million-tons per year (tpy) condensate distillation unit (often referred to as condensate splitter),
902:
164:
301:
285:
814:
132:, the main city of the prefecture. Gulei lies within Dongshan Bay, on a peninsula formed by the
306:
296:
241:, "but large protests, in which some people were detained, prompted the site to be changed to
92:
province, Southeast China, until 2018 owned and run by Taiwan’s Xianglu Group. Its plant in
81:
35:
367:
238:
184:
157:
327:
project when the incident happened." Indeed, on 20 March 2015, another industry website,
121:
54:
643:
987:
762:
211:
172:
168:
137:
617:
536:"Fire at Dragon Aromatics plant in China raises paraxylene, benzene prices: Platts"
323:
claimed, "The facility was not in production but rather at the end of a three week
180:
676:"Toxic alert after second series of blasts at Chinese chemical plant in two years"
345:
By April 7, 2015 the price of paraxylene and benzene in Asia had increased by 5%.
955:"Former Dragon Aromatics to restart China petchem plant after 3-yr halt -sources"
202:
and resins in paints, coating and auto parts industries. The plant also produces
289:
207:
199:
195:
133:
101:
234:
97:
976:
253:
191:
153:
129:
44:
24:
149:
203:
706:"Fujian chemical fire comes back to life, fanning environmental fears"
475:"China's Dragon Aromatics delays start-up of main unit after accident"
230:
176:
125:
89:
558:"Fourteen injured in blast at DragonAromatics xylene plant in China"
391:"Dragon Aromatics set for trial runs of petchem plant after delays"
292:
reignited and exploded. More than 14,000 residents were evacuated.
116:
The Dragon Aromatics petrochemical plant is located in the port of
267:
On April 3, 2015, one day after the news of a breakthrough in the
257:
242:
117:
93:
841:"-China's Dragon Aromatics shuts its PX facility for maintenance"
868:"Fujian paper slammed for censoring PX plant explosion coverage"
926:"China mulls NGO participation in environmental investigations"
644:"Latest Blast at PX Plant in Fujian Rekindles Public's Worries"
167:, referred to as condensate, is processed to light naphtha and
442:"China evacuates 30,000 people after huge chemical plant fire"
18:
789:"Massive fire puts spotlight back on Chinese chemical plants"
198:(160,000 tons per year (tpy) per 2007 plan), needed to make
417:"Company Overview of Dragon Aromatics (Zhangzhou) Co., Ltd"
214:
for impact-resistant glass substitutes and compact disks".
728:"Iran to supply China more condensate under new contract"
588:"China chemical plant Dragon Aromatics hit by explosion"
49:
39:
763:"Thousands evacuated as China chemical fire reignites"
269:
Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program
194:
components (over 1.0 tpy per 2007 plan): It produces
642:Zhao Han; Yu Dawei; Zhang Xuefeng (15 April 2015).
252:permitted construction of a petrochemical plant in
508:"Dragon Aromatics to Build New Aromatics Complex"
88:), is a Chinese chemical company on the coast of
815:"Plant explosion refuels public concern over PX"
128:province; As of 2015, the company name contains
96:was constructed in 2009 and has been producing
895:"Blast hits China chemical plant, one injured"
331:(Independent Chemical Information Service) by
8:
510:. Axens group Technologies. 20 February 2007
250:Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection
847:. ICIS Latest news headlines. 20 March 2015
699:
697:
384:
382:
611:
609:
586:Ben Blanchard; Chen Aizhu (7 April 2015).
564:. Kable Intelligence Limited. 7 April 2015
190:Besides PX, the PX facility creates other
682:. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd
669:
667:
665:
637:
635:
633:
631:
469:
467:
465:
463:
999:Industrial fires and explosions in China
704:Li Jing; Keira Lu Huang (7 April 2015).
378:
152:(PX), a feedstock in the production of
1019:Chemical companies established in 2013
949:
947:
529:
527:
525:
502:
500:
498:
496:
1014:Chinese companies established in 2013
616:Jonathan Ansfield (8 December 2007).
581:
579:
160:, which occurs in two main stages:
7:
436:
434:
14:
534:Singapore Bureau (7 April 2015).
23:
674:Keira Lu Huang (7 April 2015).
319:, an industry communication by
124:, which is in the southernmost
813:Nina Ying Sun (8 April 2015).
787:Julie Makinen (8 April 2015).
448:. Times of India. 9 April 2015
1:
924:FERGUS RYAN (16 April 2015).
78:Tenglong Aromatic Hydrocarbon
419:. Bloomberg Co. 7 April 2015
821:. Crain Communications, Inc
726:Chen Aizhu (3 April 2015).
313:economic development zone.
1040:
1024:April 2013 events in China
650:. Caixin Media Company Ltd
389:Chen Aizhu (May 3, 2013).
321:Crain Communications, Inc.
1004:Companies based in Fujian
592:The Sydney Morning Herald
358:enlarged to 110,000 bpd.
333:Reed Business Information
85:
680:South China Morning Post
562:chemicals-technology.com
281:South China Morning Post
16:Chinese chemical company
1009:2013 disasters in China
994:Petrochemical companies
866:Staff (16 April 2015).
210:for plastic packaging,
38:, as no other articles
932:. Melbourne: News Corp
893:staff (6 April 2015).
761:staff (8 April 2015).
618:"Where 'Guanxi' Rules"
165:natural-gas condensate
248:In January 2009, the
738:on December 29, 2015
302:Greenpeace East Asia
819:Plastics News China
538:. Business Standard
325:maintenance service
144:Chemical operations
446:The Economic Times
286:Xinhua News Agency
218:planned in 2007.
57:for suggestions.
47:to this page from
961:. March 30, 2018.
793:Los Angeles Times
397:. Thomson Reuters
307:Xiamen University
297:Los Angeles Times
71:
70:
1031:
980:
979:
977:Official website
963:
962:
951:
942:
941:
939:
937:
921:
915:
914:
912:
910:
901:. Archived from
890:
884:
883:
881:
879:
863:
857:
856:
854:
852:
837:
831:
830:
828:
826:
810:
804:
803:
801:
799:
784:
778:
777:
775:
773:
758:
752:
751:
745:
743:
734:. Archived from
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
701:
692:
691:
689:
687:
671:
660:
659:
657:
655:
639:
626:
625:
613:
604:
603:
601:
599:
583:
574:
573:
571:
569:
554:
548:
547:
545:
543:
531:
520:
519:
517:
515:
504:
491:
490:
488:
486:
471:
458:
457:
455:
453:
438:
429:
428:
426:
424:
413:
407:
406:
404:
402:
386:
295:On April 8, the
183:) and aromatics
148:The plant makes
87:
74:Dragon Aromatics
66:
63:
52:
50:related articles
27:
19:
1039:
1038:
1034:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1029:
1028:
984:
983:
975:
974:
971:
966:
953:
952:
945:
935:
933:
923:
922:
918:
908:
906:
892:
891:
887:
877:
875:
865:
864:
860:
850:
848:
839:
838:
834:
824:
822:
812:
811:
807:
797:
795:
786:
785:
781:
771:
769:
767:BBC News, World
760:
759:
755:
741:
739:
725:
724:
720:
710:
708:
703:
702:
695:
685:
683:
673:
672:
663:
653:
651:
641:
640:
629:
624:. Newsweel LLC.
615:
614:
607:
597:
595:
594:. Fairfax Media
585:
584:
577:
567:
565:
556:
555:
551:
541:
539:
533:
532:
523:
513:
511:
506:
505:
494:
484:
482:
473:
472:
461:
451:
449:
440:
439:
432:
422:
420:
415:
414:
410:
400:
398:
388:
387:
380:
376:
368:polyester resin
364:
355:
277:
239:Dongshan County
227:
185:transalkylation
158:Rueil-Malmaison
146:
136:estuary at the
114:
67:
61:
58:
48:
45:introduce links
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1037:
1035:
1027:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
986:
985:
982:
981:
970:
969:External links
967:
965:
964:
943:
916:
905:on 8 July 2015
899:The Oslo Times
885:
872:WantChinaTimes
858:
832:
805:
779:
753:
718:
693:
661:
627:
605:
575:
549:
521:
492:
481:. Jul 30, 2013
459:
430:
408:
377:
375:
372:
371:
370:
363:
360:
354:
351:
276:
273:
226:
223:
212:polycarbonates
145:
142:
122:Zhangpu County
113:
110:
69:
68:
55:Find link tool
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1036:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
991:
989:
978:
973:
972:
968:
960:
956:
950:
948:
944:
931:
927:
920:
917:
904:
900:
896:
889:
886:
873:
869:
862:
859:
846:
842:
836:
833:
820:
816:
809:
806:
794:
790:
783:
780:
768:
764:
757:
754:
750:
737:
733:
729:
722:
719:
707:
700:
698:
694:
681:
677:
670:
668:
666:
662:
649:
648:Caixin Online
645:
638:
636:
634:
632:
628:
623:
619:
612:
610:
606:
593:
589:
582:
580:
576:
563:
559:
553:
550:
537:
530:
528:
526:
522:
509:
503:
501:
499:
497:
493:
480:
476:
470:
468:
466:
464:
460:
447:
443:
437:
435:
431:
418:
412:
409:
396:
392:
385:
383:
379:
373:
369:
366:
365:
361:
359:
352:
350:
346:
343:
340:
336:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
308:
303:
298:
293:
291:
287:
282:
274:
272:
270:
265:
261:
259:
255:
251:
246:
244:
240:
236:
232:
224:
222:
219:
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
188:
186:
182:
178:
174:
173:hydrotreating
170:
169:heavy naphtha
166:
161:
159:
155:
151:
143:
141:
139:
138:Taiwan Strait
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
111:
109:
105:
103:
99:
95:
91:
83:
79:
75:
65:
62:November 2015
56:
51:
46:
42:
41:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
958:
934:. Retrieved
929:
919:
907:. Retrieved
903:the original
898:
888:
876:. Retrieved
871:
861:
849:. Retrieved
844:
835:
823:. Retrieved
818:
808:
796:. Retrieved
792:
782:
770:. Retrieved
766:
756:
747:
740:. Retrieved
736:the original
731:
721:
709:. Retrieved
684:. Retrieved
679:
652:. Retrieved
647:
621:
596:. Retrieved
591:
566:. Retrieved
561:
552:
540:. Retrieved
512:. Retrieved
483:. Retrieved
478:
450:. Retrieved
445:
421:. Retrieved
411:
399:. Retrieved
394:
356:
347:
344:
341:
337:
329:ICIS Pricing
328:
317:Plastic News
316:
315:
311:
294:
278:
266:
262:
247:
228:
220:
216:
200:plasticizers
189:
181:ethylbenzene
171:and naphtha
162:
147:
115:
106:
86:腾龙芳烃(漳州)有限公司
77:
76:Company, or
73:
72:
59:
33:
290:hydrocarbon
235:infractions
208:polystyrene
196:orthoxylene
134:Zhang River
102:orthoxylene
988:Categories
930:Herald Sun
845:Newslocker
374:References
150:paraxylene
98:paraxylene
53:; try the
40:link to it
275:2015 fire
254:Zhangzhou
192:aromatics
154:polyester
130:Zhangzhou
43:. Please
874:. Taiwan
851:10 April
825:10 April
622:Newsweek
568:10 April
452:10 April
362:See also
112:Location
959:Reuters
798:9 April
772:8 April
742:9 April
732:Reuters
711:7 April
686:7 April
598:7 April
542:7 April
514:7 April
485:7 April
479:Reuters
423:7 April
401:7 April
395:Reuters
225:History
204:benzene
177:xylenes
82:Chinese
231:Xiamen
126:Fujian
90:Fujian
84::
36:orphan
34:is an
936:4 May
909:4 May
878:4 May
749:month
654:4 May
258:Gulei
243:Gulei
118:Gulei
94:Gulei
938:2015
911:2015
880:2015
853:2015
827:2015
800:2015
774:2015
744:2015
713:2015
688:2015
656:2015
600:2015
570:2015
544:2015
516:2015
487:2015
454:2015
425:2015
403:2015
353:2018
256:and
179:and
100:and
990::
957:.
946:^
928:.
897:.
870:.
843:.
817:.
791:.
765:.
746:.
730:.
696:^
678:.
664:^
646:.
630:^
620:.
608:^
590:.
578:^
560:.
524:^
495:^
477:.
462:^
444:.
433:^
393:.
381:^
245:.
120:,
940:.
913:.
882:.
855:.
829:.
802:.
776:.
715:.
690:.
658:.
602:.
572:.
546:.
518:.
489:.
456:.
427:.
405:.
80:(
64:)
60:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.