28-01-2016

Air Products air separation units onstream in Yulin

Air Products, a world-leading industrial gases company, today announced its four air separation unit (ASU) trains built for Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, China, have been brought fully onstream. The project, capable of producing 12,000 tons per day of oxygen and significant tonnage volumes of nitrogen and compressed dry air for the customer’s coal chemical plant, represents one of the largest single on-site ASU orders ever committed to an industrial gas company.

“This is a great milestone for Air Products and thanks to Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical for their trust in us to supply the very large industrial gas demand of such a monumental project. The successful execution of this world-scale project is another testimonial of our leading position in large air separation and excellence in safety, reliability and technology,” said Phil Sproger, vice president, Asia On-Site Business Development, Industrial Gases. “We will continue to pursue opportunities where we can leverage on our application solutions and expertise to support China’s sustainable development under its 13th Five-year Plan.”

The industrial gases produced by Air Products’ ASUs and supplied to Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical at Yulin are used to help produce one million tons of high quality oil products annually. The four ASU trains are equipped with state-of-the-art air compressors as well as design and technology advancements to enhance energy efficiency and minimize operational costs for the customer.

Established in 2011, Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical is jointly-owned by the state-backed Yankuang Coal Group (50%), Yanzhou Coal Co., Ltd. (25%) and Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group (25%). Its Yulin coal-to-liquid demonstration project has recently been awarded “China’s Top 10 Project” for the efforts on innovation and sustainability and setting leading examples for the 13th five-year time period by China Petroleum & Chemical Industrial Federation, a non-profit organization covering over 300 major companies, institutions and associations in China’s petrochemical industry; and China Chemical Industry News, the country’s leading trade publication.

Dr. Sun Qiwen, general manager of Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical, said, “We are pleased to have partnered with Air Products on this important project and impressed with their technological and safety expertise demonstrated throughout the execution.”

Air Products has been operating in China since 1987 and supporting customers to meet their productivity, energy efficiency, and environmental targets with its integrated gases supply, sustainable solutions and expertise. The company has built several world-scale ASU facilities in the country supplying large tonnage quantities of industrial gases to significant energy projects for customers including Weihe Clean Energy Co. and Pucheng Clean Energy Co. in Shaanxi Province. It is building another multi-train ASU project in Shanxi Province to support Shanxi Lu’an Mining Group’s coal-to-liquid business.

Outside China, the company is now building the world’s largest industrial gas complex, capable of supplying 75,000 metric tons per day (20,000 oxygen and 55,000 nitrogen) to Saudi Aramco’s refinery being built in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Key process equipment is designed by Air Products’ engineering and manufacturing team in Shanghai and will be manufactured in China.