China's Largest Petrochemical Plant Planned for Guangdong,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000246 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS EMB BEIJING FOR DOE USDOE FOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY USDOE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS USDOE FOR FOSSIL POLICY AND ENERGY STATE FOR EAP/CM, EB/TRA, AND EB STATE ALSO PASS USTR FOR CHINA OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG ECON EMIN SENV PGOV TRGY CH SUBJECT: China's Largest Petrochemical Plant Planned for Guangdong, Pending Environmental Assessment Approval REF: A) Guangzhou 1297; B) Guangzhou 0212 ¶1. (U) Summary. Sinopec and Kuwait National Petroleum Company are awaiting Beijing's approval on plans to build what will reportedly be China's largest joint venture, a USD 5 billion petrochemical plant located in the heart of the Pearl River Delta. The plant will alleviate the severe gap between Guangdong's refining capacity and demand for petroleum products in south China. A handful of local officials, concerned about the potential environmental impact of the plant, have called for a reevaluation of the project. Although other provincial officials have announced their support for the project, the State Ministry of Environmental Protection has not yet granted final approval, and the timeline for that decision remains unclear. End Summary -------------- Nansha Petrochemical Plant -------------- ¶2. (U) Sinopec and Kuwait National Petroleum Company are ready to begin construction on what will reportedly be China's largest joint venture, a new USD 5 billion petrochemical plant. The project will be located in Nansha at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta, about an hour and a half south of downtown Guangzhou. Guangdong province has highlighted the plant as the key development project in its 2008 annual economic and social development report. The plant is expected to increase local employment opportunities, expand local economic development efforts, and alleviate Guangdong's oil supply problems. -------------- --- Increasing Guangdong's Petroleum Products Supply -------------- --- ¶3. (SBU) One of Guangdong's biggest energy challenges is a lack of petroleum products. Guangdong is thirsty for oil. With a growing population, rising auto sales, and increased development in oil-consuming industries, authorities are seeking out opportunities to bring petroleum products supply, including more diesel fuel, into alignment with demand. According to Chen Guangrong, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Environmental Protection Bureau (GD EPB), construction of this petrochemical plant is essential to the province's energy security as well as its industrial expansion efforts. The Sinopec-Kuwait joint venture is expected to process 15 million tons of petroleum and 1 million tons of ethylene annually. In the meantime, Guangdong continues to import much of its supply of petroleum products from other provinces, including Hainan. From January through March of this year alone, Hainan Refining and Chemical Company, a subsidiary of Sinopec Group, exported 550,000 tons of petroleum products to Guangdong. It expects Guangdong to consume 40% of the company's entire output by year's end. ¶4. (SBU) Guangdong has a severe shortage of refining capacity compared to other more developed parts of China. According to Zeng Lei, Deputy Director General of Guangzhou Nansha Economic and Trade Bureau, approximately 70% of China's oil products are imported through south China. Dr. Lu Jin, Director of the Guangdong Techno-economy Research and Development Center (GD TRD) told us that the current nationwide distribution of oil refineries is uneven, largely favoring the northern and western portions of China. Lu believes the proposed Nansha plant will solve many demand challenges and authorities should establish more projects in areas of highest demand, such as Guangdong. -------------- Environmental Concerns -------------- ¶5. (SBU) While the project will contribute to Nansha's economic development, it may pose significant challenges to environmental protection efforts. The Guangdong Environmental Protection Planning Outline (2006-2010) states that Nansha is an 'ecologically fragile' area, and recommends that large refinery projects not be built in the area. According to one Guangdong official, due to its location at the mouth of the Pearl River, possible oil spills and even more probable wastewater dumping create potential challenges to public GUANGZHOU 00000246 002 OF 002 safety and to the large transportation industry that relies on the Pearl River Delta's waterways. In addition, according to a local media report, air quality remains a concern, as the plant is expected to emit approximately 6,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per year, potentially affecting greater Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. In spite of these concerns, Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning has attempted to reassure the public that the new plant will use clean technology to offset possible threats to the environment. -------------- Government Support vs. Opposition -------------- ¶6. (U) Several government officials have raised environmental concerns such as these in an effort to shutdown the project altogether. During the most recent session of the Guangdong's People's Congress, 14 provincial legislators called for a motion to suspend the project pending an environmental investigation into whether the plant meets the State Council's requirements for new project construction. Per national regulations, the project must undergo an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA),and receive final approval from the State Ministry of Environmental Protection. ¶7. (SBU) On the other hand, many local governmental agencies including both the provincial and municipal Environmental Protection Bureaus (EPB) have publicly announced their support for the plant's construction. However, Zeng Lei stressed that the decision is entirely up to Beijing. While government supporters of the project have been characterized in some media reports as prioritizing economic development over the environment, Zeng told us that the local government's main priority is neither; rather, it is feeding the high demand for petroleum products in the Pearl River Delta. -------------- Public Sentiment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) In general, local residents have remained relatively quiet about the project, even though public opinion is a key component evaluated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection's EIA. Unlike the public unrest following plans to construct a chemical plant in Xiamen last year (ref A),Zeng Lei told us that there has been no wide-scale public outcry related to the Nansha project. Residents have, however, expressed concern about compensation for those who have been displaced from their homes to provide land for the project. -------------- The Debate Continues... -------------- ¶9. (SBU) While the project has already received National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) approval, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has yet to complete its final evaluation. There is currently no timeline for when the Ministry of Environmental Protection might hand down its decision. According to a Guangdong official, the project has already undergone an EIA, which has subsequently been revised 10 times due to the controversy. Even though the project has not received the final okay, eight square kilometers of land have been requisitioned for construction by local authorities. If approved, the project is expected to come online in ¶2010. GOLDBERG