China’s energy-resource structure of rich in coal and lack of oil and gas, promotes the booming development of coal chemical industry. As the leader of coal chemical, China’s coal gasification occupies the largest market position in the world. By the end of Oct 2017,nearly 1000 gasifiers licensed by more than 20 coal gasification technologies are in operation in China, with total capacity of syngas over 30 million Nm3/h.
More than 26 kinds of gasification technologies have been sprung up in China’s market. The application of domestic independent developed coal gasification technologies, such as OMB Gasifier, HT-L, Shenning Gasifier ect., grows rapidly. ASIACHEM’s data shows that, technologies represented by GE, Shell, OMB, HT-L, Sedin and Shenning, accounted for 80% of China’s coal gasification market.
Since second half of 2015, the international oil price has fluctuated in the range of $40-60/bbl for a long time, meanwhile, MEP of China tightened the examination and approval of coal chemical project, and coal chemical industry is facing the double pressure of economy and environmental protection. Under this background, China’s coal chemical projects slow down the pace, but not stop. During 2017 to 2021, there will be a large number of projects in six main areas of coal chemical, such as CTL, coal to methanol/olefins, SNG, coal to large scale ammonia, CTMEG and coal to hydrogen, finish construction and put into operation.
The data of <China Coal Gasification Annual Report 2017> published by ASIACHEM shows that, China will add the syngas capacity of 27.7 million Nm3/h during 2017-2021 (including projects have signed gasification technologies), conversion of 236 sets of 2000t/d pulverized coal gasifiers.
It is worthy to point out that, besides CTO, CTL, SNG and other large coal chemical projects maintain large demand for syngas, the demand of syngas for coal gasification upgrading & modification in traditional ammonia companies and coal to hydrogen unit in refining & chemical integration (RCI) projects also become the highlight of coal gasification market growth in recent years.
Take the case of Zhejiang Petrochemical 40Mt/a RCI Project, it has received approval in May 2017, with the construction scopes of 20Mt/a oil refining, 4Mt/a PX, 1.4Mt/a ethylene and downstream chemical units. The project contains accessory construction of 6 sets of 2500t/d coal water slurry gasifiers, with syngas capacity of 680,000Nm3/h, and hydrogen capacity of 110,000Nm3/h.
In 2017, Hubei Sanning Chemical started ammonia feedstock structure adjustment & cogeneration of 600kt/a MEG project, which will eliminate the existing atmospheric pressure intermittent fixed bed gasifier using anthracite as feedstock, ammonia and downstream urea units, in the premise of not increasing ammonia capacity of 520kt/a. The project will build a new gasifier by using anthracite from JAMG as feedstock and adopting pressurized gasification technology of water coal slurry, with syngas capacity of 350,000Nm3/h.
