OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2013. Lihuayi Group, a leading petrochemicals supplier in China, has selected GE’s advanced coal gasification technology to help increase refinery hydrogen production at the Lijin Petrochemical Plant near Dongying city on the Yellow River in Shandong Province.

For the Lijin Phase II expansion project, GE’s gasification technology will enable the Lijin refinery to produce more hydrogen to improve the quality of its petrochemical products. GE is providing Lihuayi with two 45 bar, 450-cubic feet gasifiers that will supply about 1.78 million standard cubic meters per day of syngas for refinery hydrogen production.

“Boosting hydrogen production to improve the quality of our petroleum products supports our goal to increase the efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of our production activities, which also will help strengthen the refinery’s competitive position,” said Mr. Li Yusheng, general manager, Lihuayi Group. “GE’s gasification technology contributed a great deal towards the success of our Phase I OXO project, and I believe this reliable technology will play a vital role in enhancing our leading position in refinery hydrogen production.”

The Lijin Petrochemical Plant previously installed GE’s proprietary coal gasification technology for Phase I, enabling the facility to produce syngas used for oxo aldehyde production. As a result of the successful Phase I launch, Lihuayi Group again turned to GE’s gasification technology for Phase II’s hydrogen expansion project.

“GE’s gasification technology and engineering services have gained a very positive reputation in the refinery industry, while Lihuayi takes a leading role in refining-chemical integration in China,” said Yang Dan, general manager Power Generation China at GE Power & Water. “That’s why GE’s gasification technology is ideally suited to support this expansion project and will help gasoline and diesel products produced by the Lihuayi upgrade meet the National V Standard and energy savings and emission-reduction demands.”

GE is the technology leader for the refinery gasification industry, producing hydrogen from coal, petcoke or blend and widely used by Sinopec, CNPC and other major Chinese refinery companies. GE’s gasification technology is designed to exceed China’s national energy efficiency rules while also allowing Lihuayi Group to more efficiently use China’s local coal resources as the raw feedstock.

As China continues to implement stricter environmental regulations on manufacturers, Lihuayi Group is part of a growing list of companies that have chosen to utilize GE’s reliable coal-to-chemicals gasification technology. As compared to traditional coal-to-gas facilities, GE’s entrained flow gasification process will help lower emissions at their plant as well as help lower the cost of hydrogen.

The refinery’s Phase II is expected to begin commercial operation in 2015.

To help keep pace with the industrial demand for gasification technology in China, in 2012 GE announced the creation of its GE Shenhua Gasification Technology Company joint venture with the Shenhua Group to develop and deploy cleaner energy solutions in China, with a focus on using coal in a much cleaner way. The company combines GE’s expertise in coal gasification technology with Shenhua’s expertise in applying GE technology for coal gasification and coal-fired power generation.

Around the world, GE has nearly 160 gasifiers in commercial operation, including 87 in China. GE has the largest fleet in the industry, with a global presence in 15 different countries. Seventy two gasification facilities operate under GE gasification licenses, including more than 40 GE-licensed gasification plants using commercial technology to separate carbon and more than 50 projects in China alone. GE’s gasification business offers more than 60 years of industry leading experience, proven technology and flexible engineered solutions.