Construction begins on the process package for the air separation unit in Dongming Plastics’ 800,000-ton coal-based olefins project, for which 19 billion yuan has been invested in Zhundong, Xinjiang

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! In Junggar, Xinjiang, work has commenced on the process package for the air separation unit of Dongming Plastics’ 800,000-ton coal-to-olefins project, which involves an investment of 19 billion yuan. On early August 2025, it was reported that a kick-off meeting for this process package was held at the Heilongjiang branch of Tianchen Company. This meeting will last for 2 days, led by the process engineering team with the cooperation of various other teams. The owner, the process package provider, and Tianchen Company’s project team had in-depth discussions on topics such as product solutions, process flows, equipment configuration, layout of the air separation area, and optimization strategies. They also exchanged detailed views on process standards, equipment arrangement, and the economic viability of the plans during the construction drawing phase. Next, the project team of China Tianchen Engineering Co., Ltd. will strictly adhere to engineering standards, continuously improve management methods, and enhance technological innovation. With a proactive attitude of \"starting with full speed and viewing the beginning as a decisive moment,\" they will strengthen communication and collaboration, optimize the allocation of resources, and lay a solid foundation for the smooth progress of the project! Dongfang Hope produces MTO-grade methanol in quantities of 800,000 tons per year, using coal as the raw material and employing AP dry coal powder pressurized gasification, Co-Mo sulfur-resistant shift reaction along with heat recovery, and Linde low-temperature methanol washing, as well as the Lurgi low-pressure synthesis process. MTO-grade methanol is converted into olefins using the DMTO unit at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, and then products such as polymer-grade ethylene and propylene are separated out. Most of the ethylene and propylene are polymerized and extruded into pellets to produce polyethylene and polypropylene, while a smaller amount of ethylene and propylene, along with externally sourced dienes, are polymerized to produce ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber. Furthermore, a mixed C4 circulation pipeline is designed to send the mixed C4+ produced by olefin separation to the DMIO-Ⅱ unit for catalytic cracking to produce propylene, thereby increasing the olefin yield. Project Overview: Project Name: Dongfang Hope Group Xinjiang Dongming Plastics Co., Ltd.’s 800,000-ton-per-year coal-to-olefins project. Location: Modern Coal Chemical Industry Demonstration Zone, Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xinjiang. Land area required: Approximately 186.4 m2. Scale of construction: Methanol is produced using coal as raw material; subsequent to that, through MTO units and olefin separation processes, polymeric-grade ethylene and propylene are generated. Some of these polymeric-grade ethylene and propylene are used in PP and PE polymerization processes to produce polyolefin products, while another portion is used in the production of EPDM rubber. The facility includes facilities for producing 220×10^4 tons per year of methanol (after purification), including air separation, gasification, shift reaction, and purification processes; 80×10^4 tons per year of coal-to-olefins products (including olefin separation); 400,000 tons per year of polypropylene; and 400,000 tons per year of polyethylene. In addition to its main products of PP, PE, and EPDM, the facility also produces by-products such as sulfur, liquefied petroleum gas, and heavy C4+. Investment and construction plan: The total investment for the project is 1,896,744 million yuan (including 378,350 thousand US dollars in foreign currency), of which the amount allocated to construction is 1,755,881 million yuan (including 378,350 thousand US dollars in foreign currency). The interest on loans during the construction period amounts to 102,591 million yuan, while the amount designated for working capital is 38,272 million yuan. The planned construction period is 24 months, with commencement scheduled for April 2024 and completion by April 2026. Project engineering components: The project components mainly include the main structure, auxiliary works, utility systems, storage and transportation facilities, environmental protection measures, and supporting projects. Among them, the main engineering components include: gasification units, shift conversion units, rectisolve units, sulfur recovery units, methanol synthesis units, methanol-to-olefins units, olefin separation units, polyethylene units, polypropylene units, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber units, and water electrolysis units. Auxiliary facilities include air separation units, raw coal pre-drying units, flare systems, fire protection systems, maintenance facilities, offices and laboratories, as well as telecommunications systems.