A China-developed cracked gas compressor, the centerpiece of the SABIC Fujian Petrochemical Complex, was successfully installed at the Gulei Petrochemical Base in Zhangzhou City, east China's Fujian Province, on Tuesday.
The installation signals the full-scale entry into the rotating equipment installation phase for this significant energy collaboration between China and Saudi Arabia.
The compressor, consisting of over 5,000 intricate parts, required assembly with ultra-high precision, similar to aligning material thinner than a sheet of A4 paper. Such meticulous demands made its installation a remarkable technical achievement.
As the heart of the ethylene unit, this locally designed compressor will not only save costs and shorten construction timelines but also enhance lifecycle support, improving the resilience and security of the industrial and supply chains it serves.
The SABIC Fujian Petrochemical Complex marks enhanced China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in industrial capacity and investment. It also demonstrates the deep alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030.
With a total investment of 44.8 billion yuan (about 6.4 billion U.S. dollars), the project is scheduled to be completed and put into operation in 2026. It is projected to stimulate nearly 200 billion yuan (about 28 billion U.S. dollars) in upstream and downstream investments, reduce China's dependence on imported high-end chemical products, and play a crucial role in ensuring energy security and the stability of industrial and supply chains.
China-Saudi petrochemical project gains momentum with key compressor installation
