Clariant and Lummus awarded contract for new CATOFIN plant in China

Clariant, a specialty chemicals company focused on sustainability, announced that it has won a contract to supply CATOFIN catalysts to the first paraffin dehydrogenation plant of Qingyang Tongxin Petroleum Technology Co., Ltd.

The unit will be located in Qingyang, Gansu Province, China, and is designed to process 300 KTA of propane and isobutane blend from LPG feedstock to produce chemicals and refined products. For this project, Clariant will work with its long-term process partner Lummus Technology.

"We are delighted to work with Lummus again on this milestone CATOFIN project for Qingyang Tongxin," said Jace Wang, Head of Clariant's Propylene Business and Vice President of the Catalysts Business Unit. "Together, we will continue to lead the market for specialty olefins production with unique solutions that deliver high yields and high profits to customers. We look forward to a smooth start-up and excellent results for the Qingyang Tongxin project."

"The fact that Qingyang Tongxin selected CATOFIN as a feedstock for its first plant is a testament to the confidence of its customers in the technology,This demonstrates the continued recognition of CATOFIN's superior reliability, durability and feed flexibility." said Romain Lemoine, Chief Commercial Officer for Polymers and Petrochemicals at Lummus Technology. 

The CATOFIN process combines Lummus' advanced PDH technology with Clariant's customized catalysts and heat generating materials (HGM) to convert LPG into specialty olefins with unmatched reliability. The process has been proven to increase productivity, often exceeding design capacity (up to 110% on average), providing producers with significantly higher returns on investment and increased profitability in daily operations.

The Qingyang Tongxin project is the 40th plant to use CATOFIN technology and catalyst for alkane dehydrogenation since 2017.