Siemens has received an order from China for the supply of key components for a petrochemical plant, in which methanol will be produced from natural gas. Purchaser is Chongqing Carbinol Chemical Industrial Co. Ltd. (CCCI), a subsidiary of Chongqing Chemical and Pharmaceutical Holding Company (CCPHC). The compressor trains consist of compressors and a steam turbine, and will be deployed in China’s largest methanol production plant. The order volume is over EUR10 million.

This order from China is divided into two parts. The Siemens scope of supply encompasses a two-casing syngas compressor train, which will be driven by a double-end-drive SST-600 steam turbine. The two compressors of this train will be manufactured in Duisburg and the steam turbine in Goerlitz, Germany. Siemens will also supply together with its Chinese joint venture SITHCO (Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Huludao Co. Ltd.) a CO2 compressor driven by a steam turbine SST-150. In addition, the order also includes supply of the auxiliary systems, local packaging and services for the two trains. For the joint venture SITHCO the order at the same time marks its entry into the CO2 business.

Siemens supplies turbomachinery made in China to internationally recognized quality standards around the globe. "We have prevailed in the face of international and local competition because we offer first-class technology under local terms and conditions," said Thomas Dalstein, CEO of the Business Unit Industrial Applications, Process Compression at Siemens Energy. Siemens exploits synergy effects for a number of sites to create one sales lead for one customer. The compressor trains are slated for ex works dispatch in the fall of 2010. The methanol production plant will be erected in Chongqing, China’s largest megacity. With a capacity of 850,000 mtpy of methanol the plant will be the largest of its kind in China.

"With this order Siemens is underscoring its leading position in the field of syngas compressors for methanol production," added Thomas Dalstein. "We are very pleased that with our technology we have met the requirements imposed by the complex process conditions of our customer CCCI.”

Methanol is an essential raw material for a wide variety of processes in the chemical industry. The customer CCCI intends to use approximately one-third of the high-grade methanol for petrochemical processes, some 30 percent will be used within CCPHC and the remaining methanol is intended for sale to companies within a radius of 500 km.