International Experience Ambassadors Visit Lanzhou Petrochemical to Experience Silk Road Energy Industry Heritage

On June 22, International Experience Ambassadors participating in the “Silk Road IP, Opportunities in China” International Online Communication Campaign visited PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company, hereinafter referred to as “Lanzhou Petrochemical.” Known as the “eldest son of the People’s Republic” for its pioneering role in China’s petroleum and petrochemical industry, Lanzhou Petrochemical offered the delegation a chance to witness the unique appeal of a long-established petrochemical enterprise—one that honors its history, connects with the Silk Road, and pursues green development.

International Experience Ambassadors listen to a briefing and record footage at the Petroleum Spirit Education Base at Lanzhou Petrochemical
Photo by Wang Xiong

At the Petroleum Spirit Education Base at Lanzhou Petrochemical, a guide introduced the company’s development history, from the production of China’s first barrel of oil and first piece of synthetic rubber, to the introduction of technology after China’s reform and opening-up, and then to the efficient operation of today’s digital and intelligent central control center. Generations of petrochemical workers have used their hard work and wisdom to write a magnificent chapter in Silk Road energy industry history. Jim, an International Experience Ambassador from Pakistan, recorded a video for his followers, sharing the company’s journey from its beginnings in the Gobi Desert to its connections with the Silk Road. He praised it as “a vivid testament to energy cooperation along the Silk Road.”

Jim, an International Experience Ambassador from Pakistan, records a video introducing Lanzhou Petrochemical
Photo by Chai Zhijie

Intelligent production lines are an important support for Lanzhou Petrochemical’s opening-up and development. During the visit, the guide introduced the development of the company’s rubber sector, noting that its automated production lines can continuously produce high-performance rubber products. With stable production capacity and reliable quality, these rubber products are exported to Central Asia, Europe, and other regions and are deeply integrated into regional chemical trade networks. The company’s extensive overseas market presence impressed the International Experience Ambassadors.
Green, intelligent water-treatment equipment reshaped the International Experience Ambassadors’ previous perceptions of the refining and chemical industry. Following the tour route, the group observed the entire industrial water recycling and purification process. Multiple sets of automated treatment equipment filter, purify, and recycle wastewater in stages to achieve closed-loop reuse of water resources. Tian Min, a chemical analysis technician in the No. 1 Public Utilities Department, explained, “We now use modern water-quality chemical analysis methods, making water treatment more precise and the data more detailed. The treated water is clean enough to sustain goldfish, which is also an intuitive way for us to test water quality standards.” This plain account from a frontline employee allowed the International Experience Ambassadors to truly feel that “green and intelligent manufacturing” is not just a concept, but is reflected in every quantifiable detail.

Nadia, an International Experience Ambassador from Russia, poses for a photo in front of the wastewater treatment system
Photo by Chai Zhijie

Through the eyes of the International Experience Ambassadors, this petrochemical plant rooted in Northwest China has shed its cold industrial label and become a tangible, relatable account of Silk Road industry. It tells the world how, under the two strategies of the national Dual Carbon goals and ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin, traditional energy enterprises are moving beyond a single role in ensuring energy supply, balancing industrial development with ecological protection, and embarking on a new path of development defined by inheritance and innovation, green coexistence, connectivity, and sharing. (Text by Wang Xiaolan)