Gaoqiao Petrochemical ramps up production of jet fuel to ensure citizens' travel

Dong Zhiwen

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the “Xiangjinhe 309” vessel docked at the Huangpu River Oil Tanker Terminal at Gaoqiao Petrochemical is loading high-octane gasoline. Not far away, at an adjacent dock, another oil tanker has just docked in preparation for loading operations. The busy scene here, with continuous activity, reflects the warmth of spring and exudes vibrant vitality. As a continuous, large-scale refining and chemical enterprise operating nonstop, Gaoqiao Petrochemical always provides clean energy security for Shanghai and surrounding areas.

During the Spring Festival holiday, nearly 1,000 employees at Gaoqiao Petrochemical work on the front lines every day to ensure the stable operation of various production units. By the fourth day of the new year, they had processed over 180,000 tons of crude oil, with products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel continuously flowing into the refined oil market. The holiday period is a peak travel time for citizens, and the demand for jet fuel at Shanghai’s two major airports has risen sharply. In response, Gaoqiao Petrochemical delivered a total of 60,000 tons of jet fuel to Hongqiao Airport and Pudong Airport before and during the holiday, effectively ensuring citizens’ travel needs.

“Starting from the 23rd, more than 40,000 tons of jet fuel have been transported to the two major airports. The supply of gasoline and diesel in the Shanghai market continues to be maintained at 6,000 tons per day, fully meeting the oil demand after citizens return to Shanghai,” said Fei Chunhai, deputy manager of the production scheduling department at Gaoqiao Petrochemical.

During the Spring Festival holiday, Gaoqiao Petrochemical strengthened the stable operation management of production units. They used a digital management platform to dynamically track alarm handling work, strictly enforce the “Three Major Disciplines,” and conduct inspections and on-site checks. On February 20th, Gaoqiao Petrochemical’s jet fuel hydrotreater strictly implemented the five-in-one “safety inspection mode,” with team leaders reviewing key equipment operation parameters to lay a solid foundation for stable operation.

At the jet fuel hydrotreater, operators carefully check and verify on-site data, strictly implementing the “Five-in-One” safety inspection system. “The unit is currently running at full capacity, producing more than 2,000 tons of qualified jet fuel daily. The stable operation of large units is very critical,” said plant manager Sang Baoshun. Although he is familiar with the operation of the unit, during the holiday he still frequently revisits the site to recheck key data, ensuring the safe operation of the production equipment.

As the output of jet fuel increases, the number of product analysis batches also rises. The analysis workload at Gaoqiao Petrochemical’s analysis center (R&D center) for jet fuel has increased by 33% compared to the same period. “To address the tight staffing during the holiday, we prepared additional personnel before the holiday to ensure all frontline positions are staffed, enabling timely and accurate analysis of oil product quality with zero delay, and to supply the market as quickly as possible,” said Lu Wenting, head of the refining station at Gaoqiao Petrochemical Analysis Center.

(Source: Gaoqiao Petrochemical)