Davy Process Technology Limited (DPT), a Johnson Matthey company, and The Dow Chemical Company announced that China Petrochemical International Company Limited, a subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC), China's largest petrochemical company, has once again selected LP OxoSM Technology to produce 2-ethylhexanol, normal butanol and iso butanol in a plant in Anqing City, Anhui Province, China.

The new LP OxoSM unit will be built by Sinopec Corporation Anqing Company with a capacity of 100 kta 2-ethylhexanol, 115 kta nomal butanol and 23 kta iso butanol. The new plant will adopt DPT & Dow's LP OxoSM SELECTORSM 10 Technology with liquid phase hydrogenation. The Technology offers a high conversion of propylene to alcohols, low capital investment, and easy operation.

SINOPEC is the largest producer and supplier of refined oil products and major petrochemical products in China. SINOPEC first started operating LP Oxo Technology at Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Corporation in 1987 and has since acquired two more LP Oxo licenses for the site. Motivated by the market demand for oxo alcohols, SINOPEC plans to further grow its oxo business by building a plant in Anqing.

"We are honoured and delighted that, after rigorous evaluation of alternative technical options, SINOPEC has once again selected LP OxoSM Technology for the 2-ethylhexanol and butanols plant in Anqing as it offers lower capital investment and lower operating costs" said Antoine Bordet, Managing Director of DPT. "This milestone project is the fifth LP OxoSM project with SINOPEC and the 50th LP OxoSM project worldwide, and an endorsement of our technology and engineering service. We have started the process design and look forward to working closely with SINOPEC through subsequent stages of the project to a successful start-up."

"We're confident that SINOPEC has made the correct choice, as an LP OxoSM alcohols' plant enjoys low feedstock and energy requirements as well as significant savings in capex investment," said Faye Miller, Oxygenated Solvents Licensing Leader, Dow. "We are pleased with the petrochemical giant's repeated patronage."