How is the 4 billion Nm3/year coal-to-natural gas project in Shuozhou, Shanxi progressing?

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The highly anticipated investment attraction project in Shuozhou City, namely the Shanxi Shuozhou 4 billion Nm3/year coal-to-natural gas project, has successfully passed the evaluation conducted by an authoritative expert group in the field of coal chemical industry, organized by the Provincial Development and Reform Commission. The project was jointly developed by Shanxi International Power Group Co., Ltd. (the controlling party) and Huisheng Engineering (China) Co., Ltd., with a total investment of 24 billion yuan. Experts believe that the coal-to-natural gas project in Shuozhou, Shanxi is designed in line with the characteristics of China’s energy structure. By making efficient use of coal and converting it in a clean and rational manner to produce natural gas, this project can serve as a substitute and supplement for liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas. It not only opens up new avenues for the production of clean energy, optimizes the industrial structure related to the deep processing of coal, and enriches the range of coal chemical products, but also features high energy efficiency. It is in line with the trends in coal processing and utilization both domestically and internationally. It holds great significance for improving Shanxi’s energy structure, alleviating the shortage of oil and natural gas in China, and ensuring the country’s energy security. It is reported that the project developer, Shanxi International Power Group Co., Ltd., is a large provincial-owned enterprise that integrates power generation, power distribution, and capital operations ； Huisheng Holding Group is a company headquartered in Shanghai that focuses on the development of energy and high-tech industries; it specializes in coal chemical technology research and development, engineering design, project construction, and operational management. Both parties possess extensive experience and strong comprehensive capabilities in energy infrastructure development, the construction management of various large-scale coal chemical plants, as well as technical services. This project initially plans to use long-flame coal from Shuozhou, Shanxi, as raw material. Coal crushing and pressurized gasification technology will be employed, along with cobalt-molybdenum-based catalysts for oil- and sulfur-resistant conversion, low-temperature methanol washing for purification, Topsoe methane synthesis, and solvent absorption methods for drying. The scale of the facility is 4 billion Nm3 per year, with 200,000 tons of naphtha and 150,000 tons of tar produced as by-products. The process flow is mature and the technology is reliable. This process includes Claus sulfur recovery, solvent extraction for phenol recovery, and a stripping tower for ammonia recovery, enabling the recovery of 100,000 tons of sulfur per year, 50,000 tons of crude phenol per year, and 3,000 tons of liquid ammonia per year, which facilitates comprehensive utilization and reduces pollution. It is reported that this project is planned to be located in the saline-alkali area in the southeast of Shuocheng District, Shuozhou City. The project will cover an area of 220 hectares. Shuozhou City is rich in coal resources and has convenient transportation facilities. Thanks to the nearby Gengzhuang and Dongyulin reservoirs as well as the Yellow River Water Diversion Project’s northern route, there is a secure supply of raw coal, water, and electricity, providing favorable conditions for construction.