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Xinjiang has launched new projects for the differentiated utilization of 6 million tons of low-grade coal, the production of 100,000 tons of LNG, 50,000 tons of needle coke, and the upgrading of 500,000 tons of coal tar derived from hazardous waste. Author/Source: Collaborative Group on Advanced Processing and Hydrogenation of Coal Tar; Date: 2020-07-17; Clicks: 9. Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd. was registered with the Market Regulation Bureau of the 13th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on January 17, 2020, with a registered capital of 100 million yuan; it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xinjiang Xuanli Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd. In January 2020, commissioned by Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd., Urumqi Jinzhengheyuan Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. undertook the environmental impact assessment for Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.’s projects aimed at the differentiated utilization of 6 million tons per year of low-grade coal, the production of 100,000 tons per year of LNG, 50,000 tons per year of needle coke, and the improvement of the quality of 500,000 tons per year of hazardous waste coal tar. At present, the full text of the environmental impact report to be submitted for approval, along with the documentation regarding public participation, has been prepared. In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Measures for Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (Ministry Order No. 4), a public announcement is being made regarding the full text of the environmental impact assessment report for this project, as well as the information related to public participation, prior to its submission for approval. The materials for this announcement are as follows: (1) The full text of the environmental impact assessment report for Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.’s project aimed at the differentiated utilization of 6 million tons per year of low-grade coal, production of 100,000 tons per year of LNG, 50,000 tons per year of needle coke, and the improvement of the quality of 500,000 tons per year of hazardous waste coal tar. (Omitted) (II) Explanation on public participation for Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.’s project to utilize low-grade coal in a differentiated manner at a rate of 6 million tons per year, produce LNG at 100,000 tons per year, needle coke at 50,000 tons per year, and upgrade hazardous waste coal tar on a scale of 500,000 tons per year. (Excerpt) On April 27, 2020, the phenol-ammonia wastewater treatment project as part of Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.’s 6 million tons per year low-grade coal comprehensive utilization project began construction in the industrial cluster park of Naomaohu Farm. At the commencement ceremony, representatives from Xuanli Environmental Energy, Huaxia Supervision, and Sinochem Second Construction gave speeches, while the main leaders of the farm community and officials from the Industry and Information Technology Bureau of the 13th Division delivered addresses. This project is the first large-scale sewage treatment facility in the industrial park. The commencement of construction for the wastewater pretreatment unit marks the official start of this project. The phenol-ammonia wastewater treatment project (Phase I) of Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.’s 6 million tons per year low-grade coal comprehensive utilization project is located within the industrial cluster park of Naomaohu Farm, the 13th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The capacity of Phase I of this project is 400,000 tons per year; the wastewater types treated include pipeline condensate, wastewater generated during the production process, coal tar dehydration wastewater, and ammonia water from the carbonization process. According to He Ru, deputy general manager of Xuanli Environmental Protection Energy, compared with traditional processes, this project significantly reduces the investment costs associated with biochemical processes. It offers advantages such as reliable technology, low investment costs, small land footprint, and low operating costs. The Party Committee of Naomaohu Farm earnestly implements the spirit of the economic work conference held by the Party Committee of the 13th Division. Aiming to introduce new drivers for development, it has placed \"attracting investment and talent\" on its agenda as a top priority, using investment attraction as the key means to promote high-quality development. A large number of projects with good economic returns and strong capacity for driving development have been established in the farm’s industrial parks. Especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Naomaohu Farm has focused on both prevention and control as well as development, achieving a balance that allows progress in both areas without delay or interference. The commencement of this project has provided a boost to the farm’s efforts to resume full operations. Introduction to the projects of Xinjiang Xuantai Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd.: the treatment and utilization of 6 million tons of low-grade coal, production of 100,000 tons of LNG, 50,000 tons of needle coke, and improvement of the quality of 500,000 tons of hazardous waste coal tar. Project background: In response to the strategies of developing the western region and the Belt and Road Initiative, and taking into account Hami’s local resource endowments, ecological carrying capacity, and overall industrial planning, this project aims to establish a complete industrial chain that includes coal pyrolysis, gas-steam combined cycle power generation, coal tar hydrogenation, and the conversion of exhaust methane into synthetic natural gas. Relying on local low-grade coal-based value-added and integrated industrial clusters, it extends vertically and horizontally upstream and downstream to carry out differentiated transformation and hierarchical utilization of coal; the industrial chain is defined by the value chain, with a focus on developing integrated energy sources such as coal-electricity-oil-gas as well as petrochemical products. Project details: The project will be constructed in three phases. Phase 1 project: Construct a 6 million tons per year facility for the differentiated utilization of low-grade coal, along with associated utility systems and auxiliary production facilities ； Phase 2 project: Construction of a 500,000 tons/year facility for the upgrading of hazardous waste coal tar, along with associated utility and auxiliary production facilities ； Phase 3 project: Construction of a 100,000-ton/year LNG plant and a 50,000-ton/year needle coke plant, along with associated utility and auxiliary production facilities. Upon completion of the project, the main products will be 3 million tons per year of upgraded coal, 350,000 tons per year of light coal tar No. 1, 130,000 tons per year of light coal tar No. 2, 100,000 tons per year of LNG, and 50,000 tons per year of needle coke. As by-products, there will be coal dust, liquefied gas, modified asphalt, coking wash oil, coking light oil, sulfur, liquid ammonia, and other products. Process route: Pre-treatment technology with independent intellectual property rights developed by Xinjiang Xuanli Environmental Protection Energy Co., Ltd. + full-range fixed-bed hydrogenation process. Construction location: South area of the industrial cluster park at Naomaohu Farm, 13th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Social benefits: The construction and implementation of this project are in line with the **energy industry policies** regarding the hierarchical and differentiated conversion of coal, such as gasification, coal pyrolysis, hydroliquefaction, and the efficient transformation of tar and semi-coke. It will promote the cleaner and more efficient use of coal, represent an extension of the traditional energy industry toward new forms of coal chemical processing and new energy industries, and give rise to a new framework for clean energy and clean chemical industries based on coal tar as a raw material. Design unit: This project assigned Shaanxi Metallurgical Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. to handle the engineering design for the pyrolysis phase; work commenced in mid-May 2020, and it is currently in the preliminary design stage. Construction contractor: At present, Sinochem Second Construction Group Co., Ltd. is responsible for the construction and installation work of the sewage pretreatment unit (PC contract), and the work has already begun; the specific construction timeline for the equipment components has not yet been determined. Latest updates: The preliminary procedures for this project have been completed, and the land required for the project has been designated (it was sold through an auction under document No. Shi Tu (Gao) Zi (2020) 14). Currently, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Bureau of Ecology and Environment is handling the process of publicizing whether the environmental impact assessment documents have been accepted. The design drawings for the project are ready; construction is underway on the first phase of the facility, which will have a capacity of 6 million tons per year for the selective utilization of low-grade coal, along with various supporting utilities and auxiliary production facilities ； The construction of the second phase, which involves a 500,000 tons per year facility for the upgrading of hazardous waste coal tar, along with the associated utility systems and auxiliary production facilities, has not yet begun ； The construction of the third phase, which includes a 100,000-ton/year LNG plant and a 50,000-ton/year needle coke plant, along with the associated utility and auxiliary production facilities, has not yet begun. Procurement status: The long-cycle equipment for Phase 1 of the project has been purchased; electrical and valve equipment has not yet been acquired. Procurement for the equipment in Phases 2 and 3 has not started yet, and there is still a demand for such equipment. Procurement of the main equipment is planned to begin in July-August 2020. Procurement of equipment such as heating furnaces, storage tanks, mixers, vibrating screens, bag filters, electrical systems, pumps, and valves is currently under consideration and discussion ； The preliminary work for the supporting phenol-amine wastewater treatment facilities (pumps, valves, etc.) has already begun, including site inspections and cost inquiries. Financial situation: As of May 2020, the approved total investment for this project was 3,622.85 million yuan, of which 3,422.85 million yuan was allocated to construction costs. Of this, 70% of the investment in construction is financed through bank loans, while 30% is covered by the enterprises themselves. The total investment for Phase 1 is 754.52 million yuan, the total investment for Phase 2 is 1,508.23 million yuan, and the total investment for Phase 3 is 1,360.10 million yuan ； Part of the funds has arrived so far. Selection of process packages and process plans: 1. For the pyrolysis process of low-grade coal, the technology for separating different grades of low-grade coal begins with drying and dehydrating the coal. Low-rank coal is dehydrated according to different temperature ranges, starting with the removal of external water, followed by the removal of internal water and the elimination of oxygen-containing functional groups, in order to reduce the oxygen content and reoxygenation capacity of the low-rank coal, until low-temperature dry distillation of the coal is carried out. The purpose of upgrading low-rank coal is referred to as low-rank coal pretreatment in the field of coal chemistry. Its main objectives are to reduce the moisture content (especially internal moisture), increase the calorific value and thermal stability, as well as enhance mechanical strength, so that the coal can undergo stable gasification in low-temperature pyrolysis furnaces while reducing energy consumption. 2. Selection of coal tar upgrading process: The raw materials used in this unit come from the full-range coal tar produced through the classification of low-grade coal upstream, as well as purchased coal tar; these raw materials have a high density and contain high levels of metals, asphaltenes, and resins. To achieve higher economic benefits, the project has decided to adopt the full-range coal tar hydrogenation process, excluding the delayed coking option and the fractionated hydrogenation approach. Additionally, since the suspended-bed hydrogenation process requires high investment, there are few plants in operation using this technology, and the catalysts and heavy-metal-containing oil residues generated are difficult to handle; therefore, this technology is not considered for use in this project. It was finally decided that for this project, the \"Xuanli proprietary pre-treatment technology + full-range fixed-bed hydrogenation process\" would be used. 3. Selection of the needle coke production process: Based on the development of existing coal-based needle coke production technologies both domestically and internationally, the production process for this project consists of three stages: raw material pretreatment, delayed coking, and calcination. Solvent extraction is used for pretreatment, followed by delayed coking and calcination to ultimately produce needle coke.