China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved plans by BP Zhuhai, an 85:15 joint venture of the British oil and petrochemicals producer and China's Zhuhai Port, to build a new 1.25m t/y plant for polyester feedstock PTA at Zhuhai in Guangdong province. The new CNY 4.1bn (€500m) plant, called Zhuhai 3, is planned to go on stream in late 2014. France's Technip has the engineering contract.

Since announcing expansion plans for the Chinese site in early 2011, BP and its local partner have completed two additional projects, bringing total capacity at the site to over 2.7 million and the group's global output capability to 8.25 t. The fast-growing Chinese demand is driven mainly by the textile industry, BP said. PET polymerization accounts for at most 10%.

Nick Elmslie, CEO of BP Global Petrochemicals, said Zhuhai 3, which uses the group's newest proprietary technology, "should make the Chinese joint venture the most competitive PTA producer in the world." The technology being licensed for about a year, "should deliver a step change in environmental performance, reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and other waste streams significantly," added Mark Wilson, BP president of Aromatics Asia and China Olefins & Derivatives.

Compared with other commonly used technologies, the new BP plant is expected to discharge 75% less waste water and generate 95% less solid waste. It is also expected to achieve a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.