Coal-to-liquids feasibility study planned

April 13, 2005
Sasol Synfuels International (Pty.) Ltd. and Chinese partners let contract to Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd. and China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp. for a first-phase feasibility study of two 80,000 b/d coal-to-liquids projects in the Ningxia Autonomous Region and Shaanxi Province in western China.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 13 -- Sasol Synfuels International (Pty.) Ltd. and Chinese partners let contract to Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd. and China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp. for a first-phase feasibility study of two 80,000 b/d coal-to-liquids projects in the Ningxia Autonomous Region and Shaanxi Province in western China.

The plants would turn coal into products such as diesel, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas with three principal processes: gasification of coal to synthesis gas, conversion of synthesis gas to liquids, and hydrocracking.

Sasol's low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch technology for the conversion of synthesis gas to liquid fuels is central to the project.

The study is expected to be complete by the end of the year.