ExxonMobil Launches $10 Billion Huizhou Petrochemical Complex 1.6 Million-Ton Ethylene Plant Powers Up Ahead of Schedule

On July 15, ExxonMobil’s landmark Huizhou Ethylene Project, a major foreign investment initiative in China, officially began operations, promising to boost domestic supply for high-performance plastics. The mega complex, located in Daya Bay, Huizhou, was completed ahead of schedule and within budget, setting a new benchmark for safety and collaboration.

With a total investment exceeding $10 billion, the project broke ground in April 2020. The first phase features a world-class steam cracker capable of processing a flexible range of feedstocks to produce 1.6 million tons of ethylene per year. It also houses two high-performance linear low-density polyethylene units with a combined annual capacity of 1.2 million tons, a single low-density polyethylene line with a record-breaking 500,000 tons annual output, and two polypropylene units delivering 950,000 tons per year.

Jean-Marc Taton, ExxonMobil China chairman, credited the achievement to strong partnerships and government support, calling it a major milestone for the company’s global manufacturing and technology leadership.