New 660,000-ton coal tar deep processing and aromatic compounds comprehensive utilization project in Xinjiang

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The 25th National \"Safety Production Month\" in 2026: Everyone should talk about safety and be able to handle emergencies; identify and address potential risks and hazards. -------------------------------------------------- Recently, the environmental impact assessment for Xinjiang Anhui Energy Co., Ltd.’s project for the comprehensive utilization of aromatics produced from coal-based distillates at a capacity of 660,000 tons per year was made publicly available for the first time. The project is located in the Erdaohu Industrial Park of the Economic and Technological Development Zone in Xinxing City, the 13th Division, with a total investment of 920 million yuan and an area of 500 mu. The project construction is carried out in three phases. The first phase involves the construction of a 200,000 tons per year crude benzene hydrogenation unit, along with associated storage and transportation tanks as well as utility systems. In Phase II, a 400,000-ton/year aromatization unit will be built to further expand the aromatic production capacity. In Phase III, a 60,000-ton/year phenol extraction unit will be built to produce high-value-added phenolic products. The project was signed in June 2024 at the 8th China-Asia Europe Expo, and is currently in the preliminary design phase. The construction period is expected to be from the second quarter of 2026 to the fourth quarter of 2027. At the technical level, the core of the project is a comprehensive utilization facility for producing aromatics from coal-based distillates with an annual capacity of 660,000 tons, which consists of four key units. The high-pressure hydrogenation and distillation unit is responsible for carrying out deep hydrogenation of coal tar fractions to convert them into lighter components. The low-pressure hydrogenation and aromatization unit is the technological core of the entire plant. In this unit, naphthenes undergo dehydroaromatization reactions, resulting in the efficient enrichment of aromatic hydrocarbons. Hard-to-convert components in coal tar, such as resins and asphaltenes, are almost completely converted. The extractive distillation unit is responsible for separating mixed aromatics to produce products such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. The PSA hydrogen production unit supplies high-purity hydrogen to the entire plant. This project falls within the realm of deep processing of coal tar and comprehensive utilization of aromatics. Its technical approach centers on hydrocracking and catalytic reforming, which aligns with the current trend of the coal chemical industry towards higher value-added and low-carbon development. Recent advances have also been made in coal-based aromatic conversion technologies; the development of new catalytic systems provides technical support for the efficient transformation of coal tar resources into fine chemicals and green materials.