Development of coal-to-olefins in Xinjiang

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This post was last edited by haichun on 2022-5-8 at 18:39. Relying on its abundant coal resources, Xinjiang is vigorously promoting the development of modern coal chemical industries such as coal-to-oil, coal-to-gas, coal-to-olefins, and the hierarchical utilization of coal based on its different quality levels. To accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the traditional coal chemical industry, four major coal chemical projects in Xinjiang are under accelerated construction, with a total investment of 100 billion yuan. The first project is a coal-to-hydrocarbons project invested by Xinjiang Shanneng Chemical Co., Ltd. with nearly 20 billion yuan (19.8 billion yuan), capable of producing 800,000 tons of olefins per year. The specific location is to the west of the entrance road to Pit No. 49 in the Wucaiwan Huoshao Mountain Industrial Park, within the Zhundong Economic Development Zone. It makes use of coal raw materials from related open-pit mines to synthesize MTO-grade methanol (an intermediate), which is then used to produce ethylene, propylene, and polypropylene products. This production facility employs advanced technology, and once completed, its process technology will reach international advanced levels. The specific units mainly include: gasification, air separation, purification, MTO, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc. In addition, it also includes utility facilities such as power stations, water supply and drainage systems, reclaimed water reuse systems, underground pipeline networks, and storage and transportation systems, as well as facilities for centralized control, research and development centers, and accommodation and dining services. The second project is a coal-to-hydrocarbons project invested by Xinjiang Dongming Plastics Company, amounting to nearly 19 billion yuan, with an annual production capacity of 800,000 tons of olefins. This project is another large-scale coal chemical complex invested in Xinjiang by Shanghai Heavy Industry. The company will use 10,000 mu of land; leveraging the resources of the Zhundong coal field, it plans to invest 50 billion yuan to build a coal chemical circular economy park, thereby creating a circular industry park based on coal chemistry and establishing a chain for the recycling of resources. The third project is a coal-to-olefins plant with an annual production capacity of 700,000 tons, driven by the Yiwu Jiangna New Energy Group and involving a total investment of nearly 43 billion yuan. The name of this project is the \"Project for Producing Green, Low-Carbon, High-Value Coal-Based Chemicals through the Integration of Wind and Solar Energy.\" It relies on the important chemical and energy resources available in Naomao Lake, as well as green electricity from new energy sources, to synthesize new chemical materials with low pollution levels and high combustion value through the combination of hydrogen and green oxygen. The total area covered by this project is over 365 square hectares; it is located in the Bai Shi Hu Coal Comprehensive Utilization Industrial Cluster in Yiwu County. The main products planned to be manufactured are high-impact polypropylene acetate vinyl ester and thermoplastic resin products, with an annual production capacity of 500,000 tons. The industrial chain for coal-based olefin products mainly involves the use of oil-rich coal as the primary raw material to operate an olefin production facility with an annual capacity of 700,000 tons. This facility produces two types of products: one is acetic anhydride, which is produced through a specific reaction process, while the other serves as a raw material for EVA production. Additionally, dimethyl ether gas is synthesized from these materials, with acetic acid being the final product obtained. In addition, a formaldehyde production line will also be built to supply raw materials for the target materials and resin materials. It mainly includes various facilities such as 700,000 tons of olefins, 300,000 tons for acetic acid production, 350,000 tons of polypropylene, 100,000 tons of acetic anhydride, and 120,000 tons of ethylene; the total annual production volume will exceed 2.2 million tons, making it a truly massive facility. The fourth project is the 700,000 tons per year coal-to-olefins facility invested in and built by Xinjiang Zhongtai New Materials Co., Ltd.; the total investment amount for this project is nearly 23 billion yuan (22.7 billion yuan). It will primarily involve the construction of chemical production units with a capacity of 2.1 million tons per year for methanol, as well as 1.8 million tons per year for various other chemicals, and 700,000 tons per year for ethylene and polypropylene. In addition, utility systems and production lines for auxiliary materials will also be established as part of this project. The coal-based new materials upgrading demonstration project of Xinjiang Zhongtai New Materials Co., Ltd. uses technologies such as semi-waste boiler water wall slurry gasification, syngas purification, methanol synthesis, and DMTO-III for the production of coal-derived olefin products. The total investment in the project is 22.7 billion yuan. It involves the construction of production facilities with capacities of 2.1 million tons per year for methanol, 1.8 million tons per year for methanol-to-olefins, 400,000 tons per year for high-density polyethylene, and 300,000 tons per year for polypropylene. Additionally, supporting systems such as storage and transportation facilities, utility systems, and auxiliary production facilities will also be established. The process for producing paint-related products involves technologies such as semi-waste boiler operation, water-cooled wall coal slurry gasification to produce syngas, methanol purification, and methanol-to-olefins conversion, thereby enabling the production of olefin products from coal. The entire project is scheduled to be completed and put into operation within three years.