At the site of the 1.5 million tons/year acetic acid project of Juzhengyuan (Jieyang) New Materials Base. Recently, as one of the largest acetic acid projects in terms of single-train capacity in China and globally, the 1.5 million tons/year acetic acid project at Juzhengyuan (Jieyang) New Materials Base has officially entered the trial production phase. The commissioning of this project will not only reshape the layout of China's acetic acid industry chain but also inject core momentum into Jieyang's efforts to build a regional new materials industry cluster. According to information from the project construction party, China National Chemical Engineering Sixteenth Construction Co., Ltd., the project adopts independently innovated domestic technology, with key indicators reaching internationally advanced levels. This is of great significance for consolidating China's leading position in the global acetic acid industry and enhancing the independent and controllable capability of the industrial chain.

According to Li Xiangdong, the project manager, the project uses methanol and carbon monoxide as raw materials to produce acetic acid through a low-pressure carbonylation reaction under the action of a rhodium-based catalyst. This process offers significant advantages such as high conversion rates, excellent selectivity, and mild reaction conditions. "This process can effectively improve the system's heat utilization rate, significantly reduce energy consumption, while extending the catalyst regeneration cycle and reducing catalyst loss," Li Xiangdong stated. The core technology of the project has achieved independent innovation in areas such as the catalyst system, reactor design, and energy integration. Key indicators such as single-train scale, energy consumption control, and environmental emissions have reached internationally advanced levels, comparable to mainstream international processes like BP's Cativa and Celanese's AO Plus.

At the industrial layout level, the implementation of this project fills the gap for large-scale acetic acid production capacity in South China. Acetic acid, known as the "universal intermediate" in the chemical industry, is widely used in the production of core chemical products such as PTA, vinyl acetate, and acetate esters. Previously, downstream enterprises in South China had long relied on supplies from other provinces. With this project now established in the Dananhai Petrochemical Industrial Zone in Jieyang, the pattern of South China being solely a consumption region for acetic acid will be fundamentally changed, achieving a balanced national layout of acetic acid production capacity. Li Xiangdong pointed out that after the project is put into operation, it will effectively meet the demand for high-end chemical raw materials driven by the manufacturing upgrade in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, significantly reduce procurement and logistics costs for downstream enterprises, and enhance the competitiveness and stability of the entire industrial chain.

According to the plan, the project will further build a complete industrial chain from basic raw materials to high-end new materials, driving the coordinated development of downstream industries such as vinyl acetate and butanol/octanol, laying the foundation for the construction of Jieyang's new materials industry cluster. As a key project under Guangdong Province's "Hundreds, Thousands, and Tens of Thousands Project," the application of domestic technology in this project has achieved independent production of key chemical raw materials, effectively reducing reliance on external supplies and strengthening the independent and controllable capability of China's chemical industry chain. At the same time, the construction and operation of the project have already attracted a group of high-quality professionals and technical teams. Through industry-university-research collaboration with universities and research institutions, it will help enhance regional technological innovation capabilities and talent team building, providing support for the sustainable development of the petrochemical industry.

It is worth noting that during the project's advancement, multiple challenges were faced, including tight schedules, adverse weather conditions, limited site space, and technical complexities. The project team of China National Chemical Engineering Sixteenth Construction Co., Ltd. successfully overcame these difficulties through innovative construction methods, optimized construction organization, and strengthened process control, earning high recognition from the client. Li Xiangdong stated that the team will adhere to the philosophy of "continuous improvement and pursuit of excellence" to ensure the "safe, stable, long-term, full-load, and optimal" operation of the plant, helping the project achieve full-capacity, safe, and stable production as soon as possible, and continuously contributing to the high-quality economic development of the region as a state-owned enterprise.

It is reported that the total investment in the Juzhengyuan (Jieyang) New Materials Base is 15.6 billion yuan, with a core focus on the C1 and C3 green and environmentally friendly new materials industry chain. The trial production of this acetic acid project marks a critical step in the base's transition from the construction phase to the capacity conversion phase. It will further strengthen Jieyang's strategic hub position in the petrochemical industry belt of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and inject strong momentum into Guangdong's efforts to build a world-class green petrochemical base.