In March 2016, research of syngas to olefins technology leaded by academician Bao Xinhe of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences published in the Journal of "Science". When the CO one way conversion rate of 17%, the selectivity of light hydrocarbon products can reach 94%, wherein olefins selectivity (ethylene, propylene and butylene) can be more than 80%.
In June 2016, Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co. 200kt/a gas cracking furnace put into operation successfully, the furnace designed by Sinopec Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd, and used Sinopec’s CBL cracking technology. The technology innovation highlights include: China’s first large-scale gas cracking furnace, ethylene capacity can be 200kt/a if using ethane as feedstock; the process use gas as main feedstock, also adapt to naphtha and other liquid, it is more flexible; unique dual chamber design, can achieve sub-hearth furnace cracking and sub-hearth burning, reduce the device volatility; unique denitration process made a decrease of nitrogen oxides efflux for 70mg/Nm3.
In June 2016, Wuhai Shenwu Coal Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. launched its 400kt/a demonstration project, the project adopt Shenwu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. coal-based acetylene to PE technology. Up to mid-July 2016, Shenwu Group had layout 8 PE projects in their own technology, with total capacity of 4Mt/a. The company released that, compared to olefin production through coal gasification process, the amount of investment lowered for 28% under the same capacity. In the aspect of coal consumption, water consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, cost, ton of olefin dropped by about 26%, 50%, 37%, and 15% respectively.
Also in June 2016, industrial trial of innovative propane/butane (ADHO) technology which developed by the State Heavy Oil Key Laboratory of China University of Petroleum (East China), and designed by East China Design Branch of China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Co., successfully tested in Shandong Hengyuan Petroleum & Chemical. The technology is applicable to propane, isobutane dehydrogenation alone and mixed feedstock dehydrogenation. Continuous reaction with catalyst regeneration leads to high production efficiency. And the catalyst is non-toxic, non-corrosive, environmental protection, high mechanical strength, as well as low consumption agent, etc.
ASIACHEM’s study shows that, up to the end of 2015, CTO/MTO and PDH accounted for China’s total ethylene/propylene capacity 17.4% and 8.2%, and achieved the goal of more than 20% feedstock diversification rate of olefin industry which proposed by "Olefin Industry Development Plan 2011-2015 (12th FYP)". ASIACHEM believes that during 2016-2020, the development and application of olefin feedstock innovative technologies will further improve the products cost competitiveness, and promote petrochemical industry upgrading.
