Sinopec Corp will start operation of an 800,000 tpa joint venture ethylene complex with South Korea's SK Group by the end of July, as per a source in Reuters.

China, keen to cut its import dependence on ethylene from near 50% currently, will likely add some 8 mln tpa ethylene capacity between 2013 and 2016. These projects will either be expansion of existing facilities or greenfield plants through joint ventures with companies like Royal Dutch Shell, Qatar Petroleum and Kuwait Petroleum Corp.