All nine core cracking furnace modules have been successfully installed at the CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals Company (CSPC) Huizhou Phase III ethylene project, according to an announcement from CNOOC Refining & Chemicals via its official WeChat account. The final module was lowered into position with pinpoint accuracy, completing the full set of installations. As CNOOC’s first and largest modular cracking-furnace project, this achievement removes a key bottleneck from the ethylene unit schedule, paving the way for smooth and efficient overall project execution.
The cracking furnace is a core piece of the ethylene unit and vital to stable refining-chemical operations. The project includes five light-oil, three heavy-oil, and one gas furnace, all of massive proportions—with the largest module reaching 51.04 m × 20.41 m × 42.14 m and tipping the scales at 1,910 tonnes.
The precision of equipment fabrication and the caliber of installation work are what determine the plant’s long-term safe and stable operation after commissioning—making them the single most critical factor in project construction management. To embed safety and quality at the very source, the project management team has pushed oversight upstream, kept boots on the ground, and broken new ground in construction methodology.
During the module design phase, the team broke with China’s conventional piecemeal onsite construction approach by integrating the radiant section, convection section, primary quench system, and auxiliary framework into fully assembled modules. These were prefabricated, assembled, and calibrated in standardized workshops, then delivered to the site as complete units by sea. This approach successfully overcame site-space bottlenecks and rainy-season disruptions, cut cross-operation interference, and delivered a marked improvement in both assembly quality and construction stability.
During the module fabrication phase, the project team enforced a full-chain quality control regime, with tight oversight at every critical manufacturing milestone. Regular multi-party joint inspections were conducted, and a tracking system was put in place—each issue logged, assigned for rectification, and closed out through a rigorous verification loop. This comprehensive, end-to-end approach ensured that all quality risks were eliminated before the modules left the workshop. The units passed factory acceptance to the highest standards, paving the way for smooth sea shipment of the oversized equipment and precise installation on site.
On the construction management front, the team took a science-based approach, tailoring transport and installation plans to each furnace. A cross-organizational joint task force was formed, and a grid-based responsibility system was rolled out across the site to ensure clear accountability at every level.
Through rigorous end-to-end controls and concerted team efforts, all cracking furnace modules were installed more than 20 days ahead of schedule—delivering marked improvements in safety, quality, and overall productivity.
Going forward, the project team will continue driving the construction of process piping and auxiliary systems, with a steadfast commitment to delivering a benchmark-quality project that fuels the high-quality growth of CNOOC’s refining and chemicals business.
Reported by KUANG Xiang’e
