Sinopec Engineering Group said it has entered into a deal to build a USD 3.1 billion plant in northern China to turn coal into petrochemicals, as China seeks to reduce its reliance on petrochemical imports. Sinopec Engineering will be responsible for engineering, procurement and construction of the CNY 18.67 billion project in Inner Mongolia. The plant will produce 3.6 million tonnes a year of olefins mostly ethyelene which is a building block for petrochemicals that are widely used in construction, textiles and automobiles.