Johnson Matthey Wins Multiple Methanol Licenses
UK technology company Johnson Matthey (JM) has won a contract to supply multiple licenses to China’s Ningxia Baofeng Energy to develop five of the largest single-train methanol plants in the world. The contract is the fourth methanol project that Baofeng has awarded to JM.
Located at Baofeng’s complex in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, each plant will have a capacity of 7,200 t/d.
Under the contract, JM will license all five plants and supply the associated engineering, technical review, commissioning assistance and catalysts. The plants will take synthesis gas as feedstock and use JM’s radial steam raising converters in a patented Series Loop. JM said its catalysts will enable Baofeng to produce stablilized methanol for use in manufacturing olefins downstream.
Once started, the complex will represent JM’s 13th operating license in China with a plant capacity greater than 5,500 t/day.
“We are deeply proud that Ningxia Baofeng Energy has selected JM yet again as methanol technology provider at their newest and grandest complex,” said JM managing director John Gordon. “Our continuing collaboration speaks volumes to their confidence in JM’s expertise and ability to design and deliver large-scale plants. Our plant designs and catalysts are recognized the world over for their efficiency, enabling customers to enhance yields and improve the economic and environmental footprint of their plants.
Previous awards from Baofeng include a license in July 2020 for a 7,200 t/d unit, the successful commissioning in May of a 6,600 t/d methanol synthesis unit, and the original 4,450 t/y methanol synthesis facility that was commissioned in 2014.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
