#1 and the new #2 PTA production units at BP Zhuhai in China
BP Zhuhai Chemical Co. Ltd. (BPZ) is located in Zhuhai, in China's Guangdong province. Zhuhai is next to Macau and approximately 35 km across the mouth of the Pearl River from Hong Kong. BPZ was the first Sino-foreign joint venture producing and selling PTA in China and is owned by BP (85%) and the Fu Hua Group (15%). The company employs 230 permanent staff. BPZ is a leader in China’s PTA industry, particularly in polyester fabric and textiles.The Zhuhai #1 unit started up in January, 2003 while Zhuhai #2 started up in December, 2007. Their combined annual production capacity is 1.5 million tonnes.Zhuhai #2 is the biggest, most technologically advanced single-train PTA unit in the world. The second unit has had a significant environmental impact. BP’s revolutionary SOX (Scale Optimised X) technology enables previously dumped or destroyed energy streams to be recycled. Zhuhai #2 can boast 65% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional PTA technology, a 40% reduction in solid waste, and a massive 75% decrease in liquid waste discharge. In early 2012 Zhuhai #2 completed a debottleneck, further increasing its capacity by close to 200,000 tonnes a year.
