On April 13, the elevated flare system undertaken by Sunpower for the Fujian Gulei 1.5 Mt/a Ethylene and Downstream Deep Processing Complex Project achieved mechanical completion ahead of schedule, laying a solid foundation for the China-Saudi Gulei Ethylene Project to achieve its goal of successful start-up in 2026, the project’s decisive year for commissioning and production.
The Fujian Gulei 1.5 Mt/a Ethylene and Downstream Deep Processing Complex Project is jointly invested and developed by SABIC, Fujian Energy Petrochemical Group and Zhangzhou Jiulongjiang Group. It is the largest one-time investment Sino-foreign joint venture project in Fujian Province to date, as well as a landmark project connecting the Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The project is of great significance in promoting high-quality regional economic development and international industrial capacity cooperation.
The elevated flare system is a core safety and environmental protection facility for the production and operation of the China-Saudi Gulei Ethylene Project. The system integrates two ethylene flare systems, one chemical flare system and one small-flow flare system. A number of independently developed technologies by Sunpower have been applied in the project. Among them, the Super-Effic steam-assisted smokeless flare tip technology, through high-efficiency steam injection and optimized combustion design, improves smokeless performance by 50% compared with the API 521 standard, significantly reducing smoke emissions and fuel consumption. The supporting SP-Pilot-3 Plus pilot burner and ignition system can maintain stable ignition and continuous combustion under extreme weather conditions such as Force 18 typhoons and heavy rain. It can also operate efficiently in an environment with oxygen concentration as low as 3%, with natural gas consumption of only 1.8 to 2 Nm³/h, providing strong support for the safe and stable operation of the system.
In response to the operating characteristics of the ethylene flare system, the project team carried out integrated design optimization for the dual-flare system through ASPEN simulation, and optimized the layout of related equipment and pipelines. Through coordinated operation between the small-flow flare system and the flare gas recovery system, the use frequency of the main flare can be effectively reduced, further lowering energy consumption and emissions during operation while improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.
Since the official commencement of construction in March 2025, the project team has faced a series of unconventional challenges, including grave relocation, tree transplantation, mountain blasting, bridge and road construction, and cross-road truss hoisting. The team also had to overcome adverse weather conditions such as high temperatures, rainy seasons and frequent typhoons. Relying on intelligent management tools, Sunpower established a smart construction site management system and actively practiced the Fujian Zhongsha “family culture” spirit of “one family, one mind, one goal and one shared drive.” The team successfully resolved the technical challenge of limited site conditions caused by fire water system modifications, avoiding the need for newly acquired land. Key milestones were completed efficiently, including the integral hoisting of a 45-meter large truss across Shugang Avenue and the topping-out of the flare tower.
With its outstanding project execution performance, Sunpower has received several honors, including Advanced Unit in Scientific and Technological Innovation in the 2025 Labor Competition of the China-Saudi Gulei Ethylene Project, Progress Pioneer Award in the “Installation Peak: 100-Day Campaign” Special Labor Competition, and Contribution Award for 40 Million Safe Man-hours of the China-Saudi Gulei Ethylene Project. The project has also created 14 model works and received letters of commendation from the project owner on multiple occasions.
The early mechanical completion of the elevated flare system marks another phased achievement by Sunpower in the construction of flare systems for large-scale ethylene and integrated refining and petrochemical projects. It fully demonstrates the company’s comprehensive capabilities in high-end core equipment development, system integration optimization and complex project execution. Moving forward, Sunpower will continue to support subsequent integrated commissioning and related work, ensuring the safe, stable and efficient start-up of the system, and providing strong support for the timely commissioning of the main units of the China-Saudi Gulei Ethylene Project.
From core technology development to system integration and application, Sunpower continues to drive the implementation of its “Efficiency-oriented Environmental Protection” philosophy through innovation. Looking ahead, the company will continue to focus on the needs of green and low-carbon development, further deepen its expertise in flare systems and related environmental protection and energy-saving technologies, and support the construction of major energy and chemical projects with independent innovation. Sunpower will remain committed to providing the industry with system solutions that are safer, more reliable, more energy-efficient and more sustainable in operation.
