Petrochemical plant transforms into scenic spot in Tianjin

Sinopec Group, the country's leading petroleum refiner and oil products producer, has a petrochemical plant in Tianjin that may renew one's impression of what a petrochemical plant looks like.

It's tempting to consider the plant as a park at first glance, as deer, peacocks and ostriches wander around outside their wooden houses set next to the fishing pond which itself is surrounded by large areas of green vegetation.

The scene is a result of the company's decision to shift to an intensive growth model and build an ecological plant with state-of-art technology.

In 2000, a herd of deer settled on the plant's grounds and they now serve as "environmental monitors" as they are very sensitive to water, air and other natural elements.

The plant also launched an intelligent "environment map" to better monitor the surroundings through real-time and historical data and to note development trends of its water and gas emissions.

Dong Feng, director of a workshop in the refining department, speaks highly of current technology for improving environmental monitoring and management efficiency.

The garden-like modern petrochemical plant has attracted nearly 70 social groups and over 5,000 visitors in the last two years.

Other petrochemical companies across China are also following the trend.

Zhang Minhua, a professor at the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology in Tianjin University, says that ecological transformation and intelligent monitoring will be future trends followed by petrochemical plants, which will show the transformation and upgrading of these traditional enterprises.