The Maoming government and the Nanjing-headquartered Oriental Energy recently signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, to build a world-class alkene industrial and ecological chain in Maoming.

This is another important agreement signed by the two parties following the investment agreement for an alkane resources comprehensive utilization project that they signed in September 2019.

The alkane resources comprehensive utilization project has a total investment of 40 billion yuan ($5.97 billion), and is the largest private industrial project that Maoming has ever developed.

After it is put into operation, the project is expected to build Maoming into the world's largest polypropylene production base, forge a port-centered industrial cluster valued at 100 billion yuan, and promote the industrial upgrading of Maoming.

Construction of the project will be divided into three phases, with the first-phase construction starting on March 21 in the city's Binhai New Area.

The first-phase construction of the alkane resources comprehensive utilization project starts in Binhai New Area, Maoming, on March 21. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

The first phase of the project includes the building of two sets of propane dehydrogenation equipment that have a yearly production capacity of 1 million metric tons; four polypropylene processing units that have a yearly production capacity of 500,000 metric tons; two wharfs; and relevant reservoir areas. It will have a total investment of nearly 16.6 billion yuan, and is expected to be put into production in 2022.