【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】From 2014 to 2021, Maoming Petrochemical’s world’s first pilot plant for producing light aromatics and cracking feedstock from LCO (catalytic diesel) was successfully commissioned

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Give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Continuous updates and summaries are available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** On January 19th, the world’s first pilot plant for producing light aromatics and cracking materials from LCO (catalytic diesel) was successfully commissioned at Maoming Petrochemical, laying a pilot-scale foundation for the industrial application of this technology. 　　Designed with a capacity of 1,600 tons per year, this new pilot plant began construction in August 2020 and was completed on December 8, 2021. The technology used for converting catalytic diesel into light aromatics and cracking feedstocks is one of Sinopec’s \"oil conversion\" approaches; it was jointly developed by the Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology and SEI, with pilot studies being carried out at Maoming Petrochemical Complex. 　　This device features a two-stage conversion process of \"hydrofining–hydrocracking\", which can directly convert catalytic diesel into high-quality light aromatic and light hydrocarbon products such as liquefied gas, toluene, and naphtha. It boasts a high one-pass conversion rate for LCO feedstock as well as high selectivity for light aromatics, with the one-pass conversion rate exceeding 95%. 　　Its successful commissioning can provide a technical basis for the development of process packages for million-ton-scale industrial plants. From the perspective of integrated refining and chemical production, this technology can address the challenge of finding value-added uses for low-quality diesel, and it holds great significance for Sinopec’s transition from oil refining to high-quality chemical production as well as for the restructuring of the aromatic chemicals industry chain. 　　Maoming Petrochemical took proactive action in preparing for the commissioning of the new facility, strictly adhering to the principles governing such commissioning processes, and making thorough preparations in terms of organization, personnel, technical documentation, and supplies, all in accordance with high standards and strict requirements. Efforts are made to deploy skilled personnel and clarify responsibilities; key steps are monitored through wall-mounted displays and systematic tracking to ensure timely corrective actions are taken. Critical issues and vital stages in the operation process are given priority treatment. The emphasis is placed on maintaining high safety standards and strict quality control, so that the pilot plant can be operated in accordance with the standards of full-scale plants, thereby advancing the startup process in a steady and orderly manner.