Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (FREP) announced today that the 8 million tons-per-year Crude Distillation Unit/Vacuum Distillation Unit in its new integrated refining and petrochemical complex has gone into start-up.

Other major units are expected to be coming online during a phased start-up over the next several months. FREP's world-scale refining and petrochemical complex is expected to be in full operations in the second half of this year.

FREP expands an existing refinery in Quanzhou, Fujian Province from 80,000 barrels-per-day (4 million tons-per-year) to 240,000 barrels-per-day (12 million tons-per-year). The upgraded refinery will refine and process primarily sour Arabian crude. FREP's facilities also include an 800,000 tons-per-year ethylene steam cracker, an 800,000 tons-per-year polyethylene unit, a 400,000 tons-per-year polypropylene unit and a 700,000 tons-per-year aromatics complex.

FREP is owned by Fujian Petrochemical Company Limited (50%), ExxonMobil China Petroleum and Petrochemical Company Limited (25%) and Saudi Aramco Sino Company Limited (25%)*.

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*Fujian Petrochemical Company Limited (FPCL) is owned 50% by China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and 50% by the Fujian Government. ExxonMobil China Petroleum and Petrochemical Company Limited (EMCP&P) is a wholly owned affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation and Saudi Aramco Sino Company Limited (SASC) is a wholly owned affiliate of Saudi Aramco.