Nanjing Chengzhi Yongqing Energy Technology Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Chengzhi Shareholding Co. Ltd., the investment arm of China’s Tsinghua University, has let a contract to Honeywell UOP LLC, Des Plaines, Ill., to deliver technology licensing for a grassroots methanol-to-olefins (MTO) unit at its existing coal-to-chemical complex in the Changlu area of Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
As part of the order, Honeywell UOP will license its proprietary advanced MTO process technology for the 600,000-tonne/year unit, which will convert coal-derived methanol into ethylene and propylene, the service provider said.
Alongside technology licensing, Honeywell UOP also will supply its proprietary catalysts, which will enable Chengzhi Yongqing to efficiently adjust the unit’s propylene-ethylene production ratio to most effectively meet demand for those products.
The proposed unit comes as part of China’s broader investment in coal-to-chemicals technology, which during the next 5 years, is slated to exceed more than $100 billion, said John Gugel, vice-president and general manager of UOP’s process technology and equipment business.
Honeywell UOP, however, did not disclose a value of the contract.
At a planned investment of 4.1 billion yuan, Chengzhi Yongqing’s MTO unit—which will be the operator’s second at the site—is scheduled for startup in 2019, Chengzhi said on its web site.
Commissioned in 2013 under previous owner Wison (Nanjing) Clean Energy Co. Ltd., the complex’s existing 300,000-tpy MTO unit also is based on UOP’s MTO technology.
Wison (Nanjing) Clean Energy officially became Chengzhi Yongqing on Nov. 25, 2016, after Chengzhi acquired the business, according to a Dec. 26, 2016, release from Chengzhi.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
