【History of Haichuan Pipelines】The first coal transport pipeline: the 727-kilometer Shenwei Coal Transport Pipeline

Pipeline transportation of coal has introduced a completely new model for coal logistics. Shaanxi Province is rich in coal resources, but due to various constraints, 70% of the coal exported from this region is still transported by road. The coal chemical industry in Guanzhong has great potential, but high-quality gasification coal cannot meet the demand. The Shenwei coal transport pipeline project is China’s first coal transport pipeline, built in accordance with the principles of \"three transformations\" and \"three integrations\" put forward by the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government regarding energy development. It was planned and constructed following the approach of integrated development along the supply chain and the concepts of a circular economy. It effectively combines the advantages of high-quality coal suitable for gasification in northern Shaanxi with the abundant water resources in the Wei River region, as well as the intellectual property rights held by the coal chemical enterprises of Shaanxi Coal Group in the Guanzhong area. This approach not only overcomes the bottleneck associated with transporting coal from the north to the south but also solves the problem of high costs associated with high-quality coal used for gasification in the Guanzhong region. It establishes a new model for the development of circular economy and creates an entirely new pattern for coal logistics. It represents a significant innovative approach to coal transportation in China, carrying epoch-making strategic importance.

The project is designed to transport 10 million tons of high-quality raw coal from northern Shaanxi to Guanzhong each year, with a service life of 30 years. The diameter of the main pipeline is 610 millimeters, and each pipeline is approximately 12 meters long. The Shenmu Shouduan station crushes the washed mixed coal with a particle size of 50 millimeters or less from the Shanbei Hongliulin Coal Mine to particles smaller than 6 millimeters. This coal is then used to prepare water-coal slurry in a ratio of 51% to 53%. The slurry is transported via 5 pressure pumping stations to the Guanzhong Pucheng Pumping Station. Each year, 3 million tons are supplied to Puhua, 1.8 million tons to Weihua, and 1.2 million tons to Shanhua. The remaining approximately 4 million tons are dewatered and sold locally as high-quality fuel coal. In this entirely new coal transport pipeline, aside from the starting end, intermediate pumping stations, valve rooms, and the terminal industrial site which require permanent land use, all other pipelines are buried beneath a 1.5-meter-thick permafrost layer, thereby enabling environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and efficient transportation of coal. Preliminary estimates indicate that the effects of energy conservation and emission reduction are significant: compared to road transportation, 189,000 tons of standard coal are saved each year, and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 605,000 tons ； Compared to trains, it saves 63,000 tons of standard coal per year and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 106,000 tons, fully in line with **industrial policies as well as the ‘five development concepts’ of innovation, coordination, sustainability, openness, and sharing.

The Shenwei coal transport pipeline has a total length of 727 kilometers. It starts in the Hongliulin Coal Mine in Shenmu City, Shaanxi Province in the north, and ends in Linwei District and Huaxian County of Weinan City in the south. Along its course, there are four intermediate pumping stations in Jiaxian, Qingjian, Yanchang, and Huanglong. The terminal pumping stations are located in Puhua, Weihua, and Shanhua respectively. The entire route passes through 4 cities – Yulin, Yan’an, Xi’an, and Weinan – as well as 18 districts and counties, 83 towns, and 411 villages. Of this, 213 kilometers pass through river valleys and gullies, 308 kilometers through loess plateaus and gullies, and 206 kilometers across hilly terrain. There are over 1,500 crossing/overpass structures along the entire route, including 60 tunnels, 26 crossings of railways, 133 roads at or above the provincial level, 780 roads below the county level, 74 rivers, 308 ditches, 32 dams, 121 pipelines, 1 mountain crossing, and 2 overpasses. The geological conditions are extremely complex, making the construction process very challenging.

Construction of the project commenced in full in August 2012. Given the challenges such as long station-to-station distances, a large number of stations, complex geological conditions, high construction difficulties, and many participating entities, under the proper leadership of Shaanxi Coal Group, Shenwei Pipeline Transportation Company focused on controlling four key aspects: safety, quality, progress, and investment. It overcame various difficulties, including the construction of long-distance tunnels, crossings of the Wei River, as well as work in areas with ditches and orchards. By the end of June 2019, all civil engineering and installation work for the pump stations had been completed, all tunnel construction was finished, and all external power supply projects were completed, with power supply already established. The system commissioning for each individual pump station has been completed; ball passing, pressure testing, water injection, and coordinated water transfer operations between stations in the Yan’an and Weinan sections have all been finished ； The preparation of coal slurry under full load and various operating conditions in the head-end pulping system has been completed ； The experiments on the transportation of dehydrated coal and its blending in combustion were completed ； Tasks such as fire safety inspections and the approval and registration of safety emergency plans have also been completed ； The line project was fully completed by the end of October 2019.

The Shenwei coal pipeline project has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad since its construction began. To successfully develop this project, Shenwei Pipeline Transportation Company conducted numerous technical exchanges and feasibility studies with CNPC, Sinopec, as well as experts and engineering professionals in the field of slurry pipeline design. PSI was invited to work together with Yunnan Dahongshan Pipeline Company – the operator of the longest slurry pipeline currently in operation in China – to conduct thorough discussions on the overall project design. Opinions and suggestions from renowned domestic experts were widely sought, leading to the development of numerous optimization proposals. By embracing innovative technologies and using domestically produced equipment, a decisive impact was achieved on the construction of the project.

The general contractor, China National Coal Technology and Engineering Group Wuhan Institute, has been engaged in research on coal pipeline transportation for over 30 years. It has established one of the largest and most fully equipped coal pipeline testing centers in the world, and has formed a comprehensive strategic partnership with the American company Black Mesa. It possesses all the technical documentation related to the design, operation, management, and maintenance of the Black Mesa coal pipeline project in the United States, which has been in successful operation for 35 years.

The Shenwei coal transport pipeline project embodies the shared dreams of several generations of coal industry professionals in China, as well as the earnest expectations of over a hundred thousand workers from the Shaanxi coal industry. To successfully fulfill its original mission, Shenwei Pipeline Operation Company, in the process of project advancement, skill development, and commissioning and operation, has seen party members and cadres at all levels as well as the broader workforce keep in mind the practical significance of this great project. They have committed to fulfilling their obligations even more diligently, continuously improving their capabilities, and playing a leading role in advancing project construction and management. In particular, from December 9, 2018, to February 11, 2019, the company, in collaboration with Puhua, Weihua, and Chenghe Mining Sales Companies, carried out various tests related to the production of dehydrated coal, its transportation by rail, its use as fuel in boilers, and its utilization in gasification processes. The success of these tests contributed to the progress of the project and helped to foster a new spirit, a new outlook, and a new level of enthusiasm among the employees.

The Shenwei coal transport pipeline is China’s first coal transport pipeline, as well as one of the longest in the world. It is an innovative project, a green and environmentally friendly initiative, a growing industry, and also a model project. First, the construction cost is low; compared to building railways and roads with equivalent capacity, the overall cost is lower and the economic benefits are higher ； Secondly, it saves land; aside from the sites that require permanent use of land, the rest only need temporary land use during construction, and once construction is complete the land can be backfilled and used for farming again ； Thirdly, it is environmentally friendly and clean: the coal transport pipelines are buried throughout their length beneath the permafrost layer, enabling sealed transportation; there is no risk of spillage, thus no environmental pollution, which is beneficial for ecological and environmental protection ； Fourthly, it is safe and efficient: its engineering technology is reliable and advanced, automation levels are high, ensuring safety and reliability; there are no losses during transportation, and it has strong resilience to adverse weather conditions, allowing for operations around the clock ； Fifth, it has strong geographical and organizational advantages. The construction of the Shenwei coal transport pipeline project takes place entirely within Shaanxi Province; both the upstream and downstream entities are subsidiaries of Shaanxi Coal Group, which gives them significant geographical and organizational advantages. The coal supply as well as the customers required for the proper operation of the project are all reliably secured.

The Shenwei coal transport pipeline project’s main products are water-coal slurry and dewatered coal, with future technical exports also being part of its offerings; its market development strategy follows a \"one core, two wings\" approach. “\"Integration\" means building, operating, and managing China’s first long-distance coal transport pipeline effectively, so as to fully leverage its advantages as a platform and serve as a model for the industry ； “The “two wings” refer to, on the one hand, carrying out tasks such as product sales, customer acquisition, and marketing ； On the other hand, by focusing on projects related to the utilization of excess coal slurry, a solid foundation is laid for the production, transportation, and sales of dewatered coal; by emphasizing the research and development as well as application of new technologies, a solid foundation is established for becoming a full-service provider in pipeline coal transportation and pursuing an industrialized development path. Its core business focuses on the research, development, and application of technologies related to water-coal slurry and dewatered coal, aiming to become a full-service provider in the field of coal transportation pipelines, covering consulting, design, construction, and operation management, and to establish itself as a leading enterprise in China for pipeline-based coal transportation.

According to research by reporters from the Daily Economic News, the construction of the Shenwei coal transport pipeline has not progressed smoothly. According to the official website of Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Group, Shaanxi Shenwei Coal Pipeline Transportation Co., Ltd., which is responsible for building the Shenwei coal pipeline, was established in 2011. Construction on the project began in May 2011, with completion expected by the end of 2014. However, due to funding issues related to the pipeline project and local coordination problems, construction on the project did not actually begin in full scale until April 2013. According to local media reports in Shaanxi at that time, the project was expected to be completed by June 2014. However, in June 2014, the project was not completed as scheduled. According to the China Business News, \"Shaanxi Coal Chemical’s lack of funds caused this coal transport pipeline, which was supposed to be completed by June 2014, to fail to meet its deadline.\" ”The Shenwei coal transport pipeline was only mechanically completed in 2014, and testing began in 2015; the exact date of commissioning has not yet been determined. “There are indeed issues with poor communication in coordinating with local authorities; we have also encountered problems such as inflated prices, which pose certain obstacles. ”The aforementioned person told reporters, “The group has ordered that preparations be made for the operation of the pipelines, with the goal of completing the entire project by the end of the year at the latest.” ”