On April 30, the Singapore integrated refining and petrochemical project undertaken by Sinopec Fifth Construction Company (Sinopec Fifth Construction) successfully reached mechanical completion with high standards. Located on Jurong Island, the refinery supports Singapore’s green energy transition. It stands as a landmark project under Sinopec Engineering Group’s global development strategy and another successful practice combining international standards and Chinese work efficiency for overseas iconic petrochemical facilities, further enhancing the reputation of Made in China in the high-end global refining sector.
After 1029 days of full-scale construction, the team delivered the project with a welding pass rate of 98%, realizing high-quality handover and winning full recognition from the project owner and general contractor.
With a total investment of 5 billion US dollars, the project is a key initiative for Singapore’s green transformation. Sinopec Fifth Construction was responsible for two core production units: a 1 million tons per year deasphalting hydrotreating unit, a 2.4 million tons per year clean fuel oil unit and all supporting facilities.
Adopting full modular construction, the project involved complex techniques, high technical difficulties and extremely strict safety and quality management requirements. Since the commencement in July 2022, the team followed all owner specifications, optimized organization and management, and pushed forward construction efficiently. Key completed works include 3,857 tons of steel structure installation, 350 sets of equipment erection, 256,000 inches of pipeline welding, 77 modules installation and 2,400 kilometers of cable laying.
The project team earned numerous honors: 5 Outstanding Safety Working Hour Awards jointly issued by ExxonMobil and TR, 6 Monthly Excellent Quality Management Awards, 3 SSH&E Outstanding Contribution Awards granted by ExxonMobil Global President, as well as grassroots advanced honors from Sinopec Group.
Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, spoke highly of the team’s good spirit, effective safety training and solid Party building work. Khalid, Project Director of ExxonMobil, praised the long-term pleasant cooperation. He noted that Sinopec Fifth Construction attaches great importance to safety and quality which aligns perfectly with project goals, and the professionalism, diligence and dedication of Chinese staff have driven steady project progress.
To address complex processes and intensive cross-operation challenges, the project team built an innovative digital twin management system, setting a new model for overseas engineering construction. The independently developed information platform leverages big data to realize full-cycle dynamic management of over 5,000 workers, hundreds of mechanical devices and tens of thousands of tons of materials.
The work package management mode integrates drawings, working procedures and resource plans into a one-code system, greatly improving construction predictability. For pipeline welding, standardized quality control procedures including construction simulation, skill training and follow-up inspection were implemented. Intelligent sensors were applied to monitor 18 key parameters such as current, voltage and weld temperature for critical welding points, establishing millimeter-level quality supervision. The overall welding pass rate rose from the industrial average of 95% to 98%.
A mobile VR training island was introduced for safety management, simulating risks such as fall, electric shock and confined space operation to improve workers’ emergency response capability. Up to now, the project has delivered 25,000 person-times of safety training and accumulated 18.7 million safe working hours.
The team held traditional Chinese Spring Festival activities on Jurong Island, inviting employees of various nationalities to experience Chinese culture, which embodies in-depth cross-cultural communication. The project established a people-oriented corporate culture system. A strategic partnership was built with National University Hospital Singapore to provide professional first-aid training and customized psychological counseling courses from Sengkang General Hospital. More than 90 employee appeals on accommodation, catering and other matters were properly handled via an efficient 6+1 response mechanism.
A diversified talent training system was launched. Through all-round skill training, knowledge sharing and mentor-mentee program between Chinese and foreign employees, a group of international professionals have been cultivated. Mubei, a young Indian engineer, was promoted from a basic administrator to quality management supervisor within 18 months under targeted career development plans.
A complete international talent team covering construction management, technical innovation, quality control and safety supervision has been formed. Following the development philosophy of completing projects, building reputations, cultivating talents, accumulating experience, fostering friendship and expanding markets, the integrated refining facility converts crude oil into clean energy and writes a new chapter of win-win cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
