Clariant awarded CATOFIN supply for 1.2 Mtpa PDH unit in China

Key highlights
  • Clariant will supply CATOFIN catalyst and Heat Generating Material (HGM) to Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co. (ZPC) for a PDH unit in Zhejiang Province, China.
  • The unit has a nameplate capacity of 1.2 million metric tons per annum, making it the world's largest licensed PDH unit.
  • Propylene from the unit will feed production of high-value petrochemical derivatives and is supported by additional propane from ZPC's refinery expansions.
  • CATOFIN technology reflects over 60 years of continuous improvement and has been selected for more than 40 PDH projects worldwide since 2017.

Contract and scope

Clariant has been awarded a contract by Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co., Ltd. (ZPC) to supply its CATOFIN catalyst and Heat Generating Material (HGM) for a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in Zhejiang Province, China. The unit has a nameplate capacity of 1.2 million metric tons per annum and is described as the world's largest licensed PDH unit.

Technology and partnership

The offering pairs Clariant's CATOFIN catalyst with Lummus process expertise, combining catalyst innovation and licensed PDH technology. The collaboration is presented as delivering strong propylene yields, operational reliability and competitive costs.

Feedstock and output

Propylene produced at the unit will be routed into the production of high-value petrochemical derivatives. Feedstock availability will be supported by additional propane made available through ZPC's ongoing upstream refinery expansions.

Performance record

CATOFIN's development spans more than 60 years of continuous improvement. Since 2017 the technology has been selected for over 40 PDH projects globally, a track record cited to support its technical reliability for large-scale PDH developments.

Source: Clariant

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