SIBUR Amur gas chemical project nears commissioning in Russian Far East

B910化工消息：July 3 - Russian petrochemical giant SIBUR Amur Gas Chemical Complex located in the Far Eastern Amur region is approaching its commissioning and operational phase, marking a critical transition from the construction period to commercial production. The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is SIBUR largest single project to date with total investment exceeding USD 8 billion. The project is located in Svobodny, Amur region near the China-Russia border, adjacent to the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, using pipeline-delivered natural gas as feedstock to build a large-scale ethylene cracker and downstream polyethylene production lines. The project core facilities include an ethylene cracker with annual capacity of 1.5 million tons and supporting polyethylene and polypropylene production facilities. Upon completion, the facility will become one of Russia largest and globally leading petrochemical integrated production bases, with products primarily targeting the Chinese market for export, fully leveraging the geographic advantage of the China-Russia border to reduce logistics costs. The project experienced multiple challenges during development, including equipment supply disruptions caused by Western sanctions and construction schedule delays. SIBUR overcame these obstacles by adjusting supply chain strategies and seeking alternative equipment suppliers. Currently the main project units have completed construction and entered pre-commissioning preparation. Analysts noted that the Amur project commissioning will significantly boost SIBUR production capacity in high-value-added petrochemical products, enhancing its competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific market. The project will also reshape the ethylene and polyethylene trade landscape in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing new supply sources to the market. For China plastic processing industry, cheap polyethylene from Russia will become an important supplement beyond Middle Eastern and US products. However the project still faces geopolitical risks and international sanctions uncertainties, and the stability of its commercial operations warrants attention. （来源：Plasteurope）