Green light for coal to petrochemicals project

Total has been given the green light of approval by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to invest in a US$ 4 billion project to convert coal into petrochemical products in the northern province of Inner Mongolia.

Total will work with China Power Investment Corporation to adapt a ‘coal-to-olefins’ technology, which will then be used to convert coal into petrochemical products. According to a report from Reuters, this technology is currently being tested at a pilot plant in Belgium.

The plant would convert abundant Chinese coal output into gas, before turning that into olefins and polymers.

According to Total spokeswoman the company is now entering an in-depth study phase, with a start-up date expected after 2017.

The facility will have an output capacity of 800 000 tpa of polyethylene and polypropylene.

Edited from various sources by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/15012014/coal_to_petrochemicals_given_green_light/