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The world’s first 500,000-ton/year project for producing naphthenic oils via hydrogenation of the entire fraction of coal tar has been successfully commissioned. Author/Source: Coal Tar Deep Processing and Hydrogenation Technology Collaboration Group. Date: May 17, 2021. Clicks: 7. Recently, Shennu Coal Chemical Co., Ltd., part of Shaanxi Coal Group, announced good news: the country’s first facility of this kind, with a capacity of 500,000 tons per year for producing naphthenic oils through hydrogenation of coal tar’s entire fraction, was successfully put into operation after more than two years of construction, and it has begun producing qualified products. This project has been designated as a key construction project by Shaanxi Coal Group; a total investment of 3.833 billion yuan has been made, and it is expected to generate an additional annual output value of 3.05 billion yuan. Since the project began construction in September 2018, Shenmu Coal Chemical Fat Oil Company has overcome challenges such as a tight schedule, heavy workload, delays in engineering design, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, and extreme cold weather in winter. By seizing the optimal period for construction and adopting measures such as labor competitions and starting up each unit as soon as it was completed, the company has ensured progress in the overall project development. Especially in 2020, in order to minimize the adverse effects of the pandemic and ensure that the project was completed on schedule, Shenmu Coal Chemical Fat Oil Company focused its efforts at the grassroots level, took charge of operations directly, and organized work in a scientific manner. Project managers worked on-site, doing their utmost to advance the final stages of construction and the commissioning of the facilities. The project was gradually completed in September 2020, and in February 2021 the full-range coal tar hydrogenation unit began to produce qualified oil products ； Qualified cyclohexane-based chemical products were produced in late March ； In late April, a series of qualified products were produced, including naphthenic base lubricating oils, transformer oils, refrigeration oils, and rubber extender oils ； Qualified light white oil product series were produced in early May. The completion and operation of this project will effectively promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises. It not only opens up a new pathway for coal-based naphthenic lubricants, but also serves as a good model for advancing the comprehensive, clean utilization of coal toward higher quality levels, as well as toward applications in material production and diversification of uses. Reportedly, this project has been selected as an industrial demonstration project under the “Action Plan for Innovation in Energy Technology Revolution (2016–2030)” announced by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, as well as a demonstration project in the “13th Five-Year Plan for Demonstration Projects in the Coal Deep Processing Industry” issued by the National Energy Administration. It represents a key initiative by Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group to achieve efficient, clean, and graded utilization of coal. At present, the project has an annual comprehensive production capacity of over 600,000 tons. It mainly produces more than 30 types of refined, high-value-added products across 8 categories, including cyclohexane-based chemical products, light white oil products, industrial-grade white oil products, rubber plasticizer products, refrigeration oil products, transformer products, fuel oils, and coal coke products. These products can be widely used in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, military affairs, aerospace, healthcare, and daily consumer goods.