China’s Coal-to-Olefins Byproduct C5 Deep Processing Project Successfully Commences Production

Recently, one of company in Shaanxi successfully commenced trial production of its 50,000-ton/year C5 deep processing project, achieving the production of qualified products. This marks China’s first industrial-scale project for the deep processing of C5 byproducts from coal-to-olefins, representing a significant breakthrough in the comprehensive utilization of C5 resources in the country.

The project officially began trial production on February, 2025, and has since fully operationalized all processes, reaching 100% of its designed production capacity. With a total investment of 280 million yuan the project utilizes C5 fractions from coal-to-olefins as raw materials and employs the company’s independently developed advanced technology for deep processing. It is capable of producing a variety of high-value-added chemical products annually, including 19,000 tons of methyl tert-amyl ether (intermediate product), 10,000 tons of isoamylene, 2,000 tons of 1-pentene, 2,000 tons of tert-amyl alcohol, and 2,000 tons of methyl tert-butyl ketone.

The successful commencement of this project holds significant strategic importanceEfficient Resource Utilization: The project achieves high-efficiency utilization of C5 fractions from coal-to-olefins, transforming C5 resources previously used as fuel into high-value-added chemical products. This enhances resource utilization efficiency and aligns with the national green and low-carbon development strategy.
Independent Technological Innovation: The project adopts proprietary technology, breaking foreign monopolies and elevating China’s technological level and market competitiveness in the field of C5 deep processing.
Industrial Chain Extension:The products of the project are widely used in industries such as rubber, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and fragrances, effectively extending the coal chemical industry chain, driving the development of related industries, and promoting high-quality regional economic development.