The power station serving the Huajin-Aramco (华锦阿美) refining and petrochemical complex in Panjin, Liaoning Province, China, is reported to have successfully ignited all five of its boilers and achieved steam production. With the successful ignition of the fifth boiler, the water, electricity, and steam supply system for the entire complex has reportedly been completed, paving the way for feedstock trial runs at the downstream production units.
The Huajin-Aramco complex is a large-scale integrated refining and petrochemical complex being developed in Panjin by a joint venture between Huajin (华锦), affiliated with China North Industries Group (Norinco), and Saudi Aramco. It is reported to comprise 32 production units, including a refinery with a capacity of 15 million tons per year, an ethylene unit with a capacity of 1.65 million tons per year, and a Para-Xylene (PX) unit with a capacity of 2 million tons per year. The power station that has now completed ignition of all boilers is the complex’s core utility facility, supplying steam, electricity, and water to these production units, and consists of five boilers each rated at 630 t/h (tons per hour). The specific boiler manufacturer or technology licensor has not been identified.
The power station’s five 630 t/h boilers were ignited sequentially, with the fifth and final boiler achieving ignition and steam production on August 5, completing preparations for the entire boiler fleet. The complex’s total investment is reported at RMB 83.7 billion, and the 32 production units — including the 15 million-ton refinery, 1.65 million-ton ethylene unit, and 2 million-ton PX unit — are expected to proceed sequentially through feedstock trial runs. A concentrated round of unit start-ups is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the complex targeting full operation by year-end.
Power station commissioning is a prerequisite for downstream unit trial runs at large petrochemical complexes, as feedstock introduction to individual process units requires a completed utility supply network. This successful ignition is regarded as a significant milestone in the complex’s overall start-up schedule.
Implications for Korea’s Industry
As the Huajin-Aramco complex — with large-scale refining, ethylene, and PX capacity — moves toward sequential start-up, it is reported that Korean refining and petrochemical companies would benefit from continued monitoring of market trends in aromatics and ethylene-derivative products.
The concentrated unit start-ups scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 and whether the complex achieves its year-end full-operation target are cited as key points to watch.