BP Completes Construction of Second PTA Plant in Zhuhai

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--BP plc (NYSE:BP) (London), one of the world's largest energy companies, will complete construction of its second purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, by the end of this year.

Construction of the plant began in June of 2006. The plant required an investment of $300 million and has a production capacity of 900,000 tons of PTA per year, making it the most productive singular PTA line in the world.

BP's second PTA plant in Zhuahi is the first PTA plant to employ BP's latest PTA technology. Compared to traditional PTA-manufacturing technology, BP's new technology enables the plant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65%, waste-streams discharges by 75% and solid-waste residues by 40%.

BP's first PTA plant in Zhuhai came online in January of 2003 and initially had a production capacity of 350,000 tons per year, which was increased to 500,000 tons per year one year later.

Both PTA plants are owned and operated by BP Zhuhai, a joint venture between BP (85%) and Fu Hua Group (15%). Founded in 1997, BP Zhuhai is the first joint venture in China producing and selling PTA. With a total investment of $660 million and an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons, the company is now one of China's largest PTA producers. The company employs 200 permanent staff and around 150 contractors and leads China's PTA market, particularly in the polyester fabrics, textile and membranes supply chains.

BP has always been a leader in PTA manufacturing and has built seven PTA plants, three of which are joint ventures located in Asia. The remaining four are solely owned PTA plants located in Malaysia, Europe and the U.S.

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