Coal chemical projects should pay attention to water conservation and emission reduction

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Publication date: 2010-09-02 Source: Mineral Resources Trading Center. On August 25, 2010, during the China International Coal Chemicals Development Forum held in Beijing, Carl Van Camp, Senior Vice President of Total’s Global Polyolefins Division, gave an interview to journalists. On August 25, 2010, during the China International Coal Chemicals Development Forum held in Beijing, Carl Van Camp, Senior Vice President of Total’s Global Polyolefins Division, told reporters that the two demonstration projects related to Total’s MTO/OCP integrated process and carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) were progressing well, with the first industrial facility being built in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. He emphasized that leveraging integrated synergies and adhering to sustainable development are Touareg’s consistent principles; while developing the coal chemical industry, Touareg attaches great importance to conserving water resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. “We note that China **is considering promoting the construction of new coal chemical projects to diversify polymer raw materials, and this is of great significance to us. To this end, Total has established a project team that will work together with a large Chinese energy company to design, build, and operate a new coal-based polyolefin plant. ”Fan Kang explained that in 2008, Total Petrochemicals built a semi-commercial demonstration plant for the MTO/OCP integrated process at its research and development center in Fleurus, Belgium, with an investment of up to 45 million euros; breakthrough progress was achieved in 2009, with the successful production of ethylene and propylene. “To date, the device has been operating smoothly for over 200 days. We also tried Ziegler-Natta catalysts and metallocene catalysts, producing high-quality polyolefin products both in experimental facilities and in online plants in factories. In another 6 months, the demonstration facility in Fleurus, Belgium, will have achieved all its experimental objectives, laying the foundation for commercialization. ” When introducing the MTO/OCP project, Fan Kang specifically mentioned that, compared to similar projects, the process used by Total allows for a 50% reduction in water consumption – a figure that caught the attention of the journalists. As is well known, one of the bottlenecks hindering the development of the coal chemical industry is how to ensure a supply of the large amount of water required in the process of producing olefins from coal. There have been reports that some coal chemical projects consume 20 to 30 tons of water per ton of olefins produced. Total’s future MTO/OCP projects are planned to be located in Inner Mongolia, with the aim of adding value to the coal resources in China’s inland areas. However, a practical challenge is the severe shortage of water resources in this region; how can this issue be resolved? 　　 In response, Fan Kang said, “We are fully aware of the importance of water for this project, and even more so of its importance to the local people.” We will not compete with the local population for limited water resources; instead, we will adopt effective water-saving measures to resolve this issue. There are two basic strategies: one is to use the water saved through local water-saving facilities and measures for the methanol-to-olefins project ； Secondly, starting from the manufacturing process itself, the traditional water-cooling method is replaced with an air-cooling method, thereby significantly reducing water consumption. In addition, we have set a goal of zero liquid discharge, with all wastewater generated during the production process being recycled. Of course, we are not satisfied with the current 50% water savings rate; through process improvements in the future, this figure is expected to reach 60%–70%. ”　　 Water conservation is just one of the environmental protection measures adopted by Total in its methanol-to-olefins technology; for the carbon dioxide generated during the production process, Total has also found appropriate ways to dispose of it, and has made adequate technical preparations for this purpose. 　　 Total has invested 60 million euros in establishing the world’s first integrated industrial CO2 CCS demonstration project in the Lac basin in southern France, where carbon dioxide is captured and stored in an exhausted oil and gas reservoir there. Over the course of two years, this pilot project will capture and sequester 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the exhaust emissions from 4,000 cars over the same period. Fan Kang said that in the future, while building the MTO/OCP projects, Total will also consider constructing CCS projects as well, integrating the two projects together to maximize the synergistic effects of integration and ensure environmentally friendly and clean production in coal chemical projects. 　　 Fan Kang also revealed that Total has now completed the pre-feasibility study for building its first industrial MTO/OCP project in China; it has had preliminary discussions with the relevant regulatory authorities, and plans to start construction in Inner Mongolia in 2015 of a coal chemical plant capable of producing millions of tons of olefins per year. When selecting partners, they seek large enterprises that are committed to sustainable development, have a sense of social responsibility, and possess strong capabilities. These partners should share common goals regarding the MTO/OCP development strategy, enabling them to complement each other’s strengths and leverage their respective advantages. “We hope that through the joint efforts of both parties, the MTO/OCP project can be developed into a project that is technologically advanced, resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically profitable. ”Fan Kang said.