China sets up new coal-chemical coordinating body

The China Petrochemical Industry Association has launched a new body, the Coordinating Work Committee of New Coal-Chemical Industry, the first industrial organization to ensure healthy development of the coal-chemical industry in July. It will coordinate the development of industrial policies, production, R&D and design activities. The said industry has been growing fast over the past three decades, with the current output of coke, calcium carbide, coal-based fertilizer and coal-based methanol leading the global market. Annual methanol yield rose to 10.764 million tons in 2007 from two million tons in 2000. It is predicted that the country’s annual methanol capacity will reach 26 million to 30 million tons by 2010. Meanwhile, industrial experiment has been completed for methyl-based alkene technology, followed by the construction of a number of new coal-chemical industrial projects, including Shenhua’s direct coal liquefaction project with annual capacity of one million tons that will come onstream within the next two years. (July 22, 2008)