Chiba Complex | Overview

Overview

Beginning of operation	1963
Number of employees	903 (as of April 1, 2025)
Site area	1.15 million tsubo (3.82 million m²)
Location/Access	Details/Map

History

Refinery

1963	Refinery completed
1967	Heavy oil desulfurization equipment completed (world's first)
1970	Completion of lubricating oil refinery equipment
1971	Completion of fluid catalytic cracking equipment
1985	Completion of lubricating oil hydrodewaxing equipment
1989	Coal boiler completed
1992	Completed construction of a 50,000 ton LPG low temperature storage tank.
1993	Completed construction of reformed gasoline fractionator Completion of debenzene removal equipment (first in the industry to obtain Eco Mark)
1994	Obtained ISO9002 certification (first in the oil industry)
1995	Light oil deep desulfurization equipment completed
1996	TPM Excellence Award Winner
1997	ISO14001 certification obtained
2000	Completion of lubricant distribution center (concentration of shipping bases)
2002	Transition to ISO9001:2000 certification
2003	Completed carbon dioxide supply facility to Kokusai Tanso Co., Ltd.
2004	Completed cracked gasoline desulfurization equipment Completed naphtha precision distillation equipment
2006	Light naphtha reformer equipment restarted
2009	Butene transformation equipment completed.
2009	Chiba Bio Terminal opened
2010	Lubricating oil filling station completed
2011	Completion of automatic lubricant warehouse
2017	Chiba Complex opened

petrochemical factory

1975	Chiba factory completed (high-density polyethylene equipment, stopped in 2013)
1977	Completion of aromatic production equipment and first polypropylene production equipment
1981	The first polystyrene manufacturing plant was completed (suspended in 2013). Established Resin Research Institute (currently Performance Materials Laboratories)
1982	Completion of styrene monomer manufacturing equipment
1985	Completed ethylene manufacturing equipment, completed construction of the first polycarbonate manufacturing equipment (stopped in 2015)
1986	Composite resin factory completed. Linear low-density polyethylene production equipment completed (stopped in 2014)
1988	The second polypropylene manufacturing facility was completed. Opened the Applied Materials Research Institute (now Performance Materials Laboratories)
1989	Completed α-olefin manufacturing equipment and cyclohexane manufacturing equipment.
1990	Completion of second polycarbonate manufacturing facility (suspended in 2014) Process Research Center (now Technology & Engineering Center) opened.
1991	Completed construction of bisphenol A manufacturing equipment and third polypropylene manufacturing equipment. Completion of second polystyrene manufacturing equipment (stopped in 2003)
1992	ISO9002 certification obtained
1996	Syndiotactic polystyrene manufacturing facility completed ISO14001:1994 certified Transition to ISO9001:1994 certification
1999	TPM Excellence Award Winner (Sponsored by Japan Plant Maintenance Association)
2001	Completion of second composite resin factory
2002	Received TPM Excellence Continuation Award (Sponsored by Japan Plant Maintenance Association) Compound center opened
2004	Opened the General Development Center (now Performance Materials Laboratories).
2006	Syndiotactic polystyrene production equipment restarted
2008	Transition to ISO14001:2004 certification
2012	Completion of soft polypropylene production equipment
2017	Chiba Complex opened

Chiba Complex

2017	Chiba Complex opened
2018	The former Refinery and Chiba Plant were integrated into Chiba Complex, which was certified ISO14001:2015 and ISO9001:2015.
2020	Certified as a specific certified business (commonly known Complex)
2021	Demonstration facility begins operation for commercial production of solid electrolytes for next-generation batteries

Features

Idemitsu's largest Complex

Chiba Complex produces approximately 20% of Idemitsu's total petroleum products, refining approximately 10 million kL of crude oil each year and delivering the products.

Refinery and petrochemical plant integrated

Idemitsu Chiba is an integrated Complex that combines Refinery and a petrochemical plant.
Refinery and petrochemical plants are organically linked by 50 pipelines, and we are working to achieve efficient management by promoting the joint use of equipment and facilities and the optimal use of fractions and utilities.

Exchange of raw materials and services between Refinery and factories

Pipelines connecting Refinery and petrochemical plants

International standard environmental and quality management system

Chiba Complex has obtained ISO14001 and ISO9001 certification, and is promoting environmental management and quality control activities based on international standard management systems.

1993	Installed a new debenzene removal device ahead of the industry (obtained the industry's first Eco Mark in 1996)
2001	Start of supply of low-sulfur diesel oil to Tokyo (advance response to legislation in 2004)
2003	Achieving zero waste emissions
2004	Construction of gasoline desulfurization equipment (compatible with sulfur-free gasoline)
Year 2005	Aiming for zero waste landfill disposal

Consecutive awards for excellence in promoting energy conservation

Actively engaged in energy-saving activities and won excellence awards at competitions sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from 1986 to 2011. Awarded for 25 consecutive years . We are the only company in Japan to have received this award consecutively for over 20 years.

National Conference on Excellent Energy Saving Examples Details

Management improvement activities involving all employees

At Idemitsu Chiba, we promote cross-divisional improvement activities and have all employees demonstrate their technical capabilities to tackle challenging issues, thereby acquiring high field skills and improving operational management, equipment management, quality control, and safety. We have built a high level of reliability in management, environmental management, etc.