BEIJING - China's top refiner Sinopec has signed an agreement with Russian petrochemicals group Sibur to establish a joint venture in Shanghai to produce synthetic rubber, Sinopec disclosed on Friday.

The joint venture will use patents and technologies from Sibur to produce nitrile butadiene rubber and isoprene rubber.

Sinopec and Sibur signed a deal on April 28 to establish a joint venture in Krasnoyarsk of Russia to produce nitrile butadiene rubber. Through the joint venture, the companies are considering expanding the Sibur plant's current annual output of 42,000 tons to 56,000 tons.

Nitrile butadiene rubber is used in the automobile, aerospace, oil exploration, textiles and printing sectors. Isoprene rubber is used to produce tires.