Heilongjiang's petrochemical industry has been gradually developed and expanded since the early 1960s, with the development and construction of the Daqing Oilfield.

Through the efforts of more than four decades, a petrochemical industry system with complete varieties, including oil recovery, production of petrochemical raw materials, synthesized materials, organic chemicals, rubber, agricultural chemicals, fine chemicals and plastics, has been established.

A large batch of domestically renowned production enterprises with large scale, high technical level, strong production capacity have been set up there.

The Petrochemical industry has become a pillar industry of the province and plays an important role in local economic development.

Since 2004, Heilongjiang Province has enhanced technological innovation in the sector, through developing core technologies and new products with competitiveness at home and abroad.

At present, the province has launched a number of large projects to upgrade the industry and to further enhance the comprehensive strength of the sector.

Heilongjiang Province has released a development plan for the construction of a nationally leading petrochemical industry base, with priorities given to enhancing oil refining facilities, expanding production scale of ethylene and synthesized materials; speeding up the development of organic raw materials, chemical fertilizers, fine chemicals, rubber and tire.

In 2010, the incremental value of the petrochemical industry is expected to reach 30 billion yuan, with an average annual growth of 15 percent.

Major projects in the province's petrochemical industry progress smoothly.

At present, the 600,000-ton ethylene project of Daqing Petrochemical Company has been put into production. The company is also planning to launch another 800,000-ton ethylene project and a 1-million-ton composite fertilizer project.

The Daqing Refining Chemical Company has launched a 300,000-ton polypropylene project.

The Daqing Petroleum Management Bureau will establish a fine chemical group, aiming to produce 200,000 tons of acetic acid, 1 million tons of carbinol and 65,000 tons of butanediol annually.

The 30,000-ton methyl-ethyl-ketone project of Harbin Petrochemical Company has been put into production, the company is also preparing for a 200,000-ton aromatic extraction project.

In addition to petroleum, Heilongjiang also has rich coal resources, meaning the province's coal-based chemical industry has a great development potential.

Relying on this advantage, the province has already built several coal chemical industry parks, offering a base for companies at home and abroad to set up large coal chemical, coal liquefaction and coal-gas conversion project in the province.

(China Daily 09/05/2007 page11)