BASF has successfully commissioned the steam cracker at its newly built Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China. The commissioning of the facility took place as scheduled. According to BASF, this is the first cracker in the world using 100% renewable energy to drive its main compressors (eDrives). The steam cracker supplies basic chemicals such as ethylene and propylene to multiple plants on site. It is the starting point for many chemical value chains: long-chain hydrocarbons such as naphtha or butane are cracked with the help of steam. The ethylene capacity amounts to one million metric tons per year.

Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and chief technology officer, explained the significance of the new steam cracker at the site, “This important milestone at our Zhanjiang Verbund site significantly strengthens BASF’s diversified value chains in China and positions us well to support customers across a wide range of industries.”

Following the recent successful start-up of several propylene downstream plants, BASF has safely brought into operation plants for ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol as well as polyethylene. Zhanjiang will be BASF’s third-largest Verbund site worldwide after Ludwigshafen and Antwerp and will serve as a model for sustainable production in China and globally. Products from BASF’s Zhanjiang Verbund site will mainly supply customers in the Chinese market, which is reportedly the largest and fastest-growing chemical market in the world.

Learn more about BASF at www.basf.com.

As chemical companies work to achieve sustainability targets, ASI will provide the latest news about these efforts at ASI’s Sustainability topics page.