As of Feb 2017, there are 12 coal (syngas) to MEG (CTMEG) projects in China, which have been put into operation and commissioned, with total MEG capacity of 2.12 Mt/a. Among them, two new projects have been successfully commissioned in 2016, including Yangquan Coal Shenzhou Chemical and Yangquan Coal Shouyang Chemical, with total capacity of 420 kt/a.
For coal (syngas) to MEG projects under stages of construction, preliminary work or planning, ASIACHEM proceeded with deep study on the owner’s power, approval progression, construction schedule, downstream planning and resource allocation etc of individual projects, and made conclusion that 28 of them will have 50% or higher probability to come true, and adding 12 projects of under operation and successfully commissioned, they will totalize up to 8.93 Mt/a of MEG capacity by the year of 2020. 2017 China coal (syngas) to MEG project map is as follows.
In 2016, a series of breakthroughs have been made by the operation performance of commissioned projects:
By the end of Apr 2016, Xinjiang Tianye phase I syngas to MEG plant has been kept under safe, long term and high load operation for 40 months, produced in total 164kt of glycol. In 2015, Xinjiang Tianye outputted 52kt EG in total, showing 95% premium grade rate and yearly averaged 104% operating load, with the highest over 110%.
As shown in Danhua Technology 2016 Semi-Annual Report, Tongliao GEM produced in total 62.1kt of ethylene glycol, reduced by 13.81%, and 32.7kt of oxalic acid, increased by 12.39% over the last year level. Sales of the products were fairly well. To cope with 3# Ende furnace revamping, Tongliao GEM adjusted operating load in part of the time period, causing the lower EG production in H1.
In 2016, Sinopec Hubei fertilizer 200 kt/a of syngas to MEG industrial demonstration unit has completed two rounds of 72 hours full load technology calibration and 110% high load testing, gained relevant data and laid a solid foundation for improving plant operating level. At present, the project is heading towards full operation load and efficient goals.
Up to end of Nov 2016, Anyang Yongjin MEG plant had been maintained in continuous operation for 278d in last year, increasing by 52.6% over the same period 2015. The MEG plant had been stabilized at a load rate level above 95% for a long period. In the period of Mar. to Sep. 2016, the plant realized 100% MEG product premium quality rate. MEG products sold to polyester plant including Zhejiang Shuangtu, Changzhou Huarun packaging, Zhejiang Tongkun, covered the filament and staple, bottle, film market.
News reported in July 2016, since the renovation completed, Shandong Hualu Hengsheng 50 kt/a syngas to MEG plant has been running for 13 months, with more than 150 t/d of MEG output. The product has reached above 95% premium quality rate, in accordance with the requirements of the polyester industry.
Since Jun 2016, thanks to stabilized operation of upstream syngas unit, daily output of Ordos Xinhang Energy 300kt/a coal to MEG unit, after partial process upgrading and modification, has been maintained at above 1kt level, with all the three lines operating on ultrahigh load rate. The products cover Northern China anti-freeze fluid market and East China bottle grade PET chips, staple fiber and filament industry.
In late Nov 2016, Yangquan Coal Group Shenzhou Chemical Co Ltd 200kt/a coal to MEG project was kept under stable operation at ultra-high load rate of 110%, output from the single line reached 330t per day, showing constant premium quality of polymer grade. The EG product was sold to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong Provinces, finding stable usage in PET filament applications. The project succeeded in start-up on Apr 15th 2016.
2013-2020 China CTMEG capacity growth is as follows. ASIACHEM’s research shows that the year of 2017 will be the beginning of outbreak of CTMEG capacity in China, and 8 new projects will increase a total of 1.34 Mt MEG capacity.
