Raw Material Substitution: High-Quality Petrochemical Development
At present, China's petrochemical industry is confronted with the dual challenges of global overcapacity and high domestic raw material costs. Particularly, China lacks low-cost raw materials such as associated gas from oil fields and shale gas, which leads to persistently high production costs for core chemical products like ethylene. In 2023, there was a situation where related products in the United States were highly profitable while Chinese enterprises suffered comprehensive losses. How to break this deadlock? The article "Raw Material Substitution Facilitates High-Quality Development of China's Petrochemical Industry" published in the journal "Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress" has pointed out a clear path for us. This article, based on the core viewpoints of the original text, will help you understand the core logic and practical directions of raw material substitution.
I. Recent Breakthrough: Reutilization of Low-Cost Fossil Raw Materials
At present, there are tens of millions of tons of unutilized olefin and alkane mixtures in China. These "idle resources" are difficult to be efficiently utilized in traditional processes. This article proposes that by using the original polymerization separation technology, the high-value conversion of such mixtures can be achieved - converting the α-olefins into "maleic anhydride-olefin alternating copolymers", which are widely used in formaldehyde-free wood adhesives, cement water reducers, ultraviolet absorbers and other fields, with a market scale of over 20 million tons per year. The remaining part that cannot be polymerized can be used as low-cost ethylene cracking feedstock, which is expected to reduce the cost of ethylene feedstock to a level comparable to that of shale gas.
It is worth noting that this technology has been verified through practical application. Currently, two pilot plants with an annual output of 500 tons each and one production plant with an annual output of 10,000 tons have been built. The technology's maturity, economic benefits, and social benefits have all been fully recognized, providing a feasible solution for enterprises to optimize their raw material structure and enhance efficiency in the near future.
II. Mid-term Exploration: Non-fossil Raw Materials Initiate Low-carbon Transformation
With the advancement of the "dual carbon" goals, green and low-carbon development has become an inevitable question for industrial progress. The article points out that in the medium term, the large-scale utilization of non-fossil raw materials such as carbon dioxide, non-grain biomass (straw, branches, etc.), and waste polymers can be prioritized. The research by Qiao Jinliang's team has found that these green raw materials can be converted into olefins or syngas through technologies such as microwave plasma gasification and catalytic reactions, and then used to produce synthetic oil - a high-quality feedstock for ethylene cracking.
For instance, waste plastics and straw can be gasified to produce syngas; carbon dioxide can be converted into carbon monoxide at low cost through specific catalytic reactions and then combined with other raw materials to generate syngas; even waste carbon fiber composites can be upgraded and recycled to obtain combustible gas and high-performance short-cut carbon fibers. This series of technological routes makes it possible for the petrochemical industry to achieve green development while reducing costs.
III. Long-term Layout: Coordinated Development of Biochemical Engineering and Petrochemical Engineering
The article suggests that in the long term, we can draw on the practical experience of Petrobras to promote a deep integration of biochemical engineering and petrochemical engineering. Currently, although the petrochemical products produced from bio-based raw materials have relatively high prices, their costs are also relatively high and the demand is limited. By establishing a "sugar platform" in regions with existing ethylene plants and concentrated non-grain biomass resources to prepare non-grain bio-based petrochemical raw materials, the same ethylene plant can flexibly switch between producing petroleum-based products and high-value bio-based products such as bio-based polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon. This coupling model can not only reduce the cost of bio-based products but also expand product categories and enhance market competitiveness, laying a foundation for the sustainable development of the industry.
IV. Core Value: Why Is Raw Material Substitution "Crucial"?
The article clearly points out that there are three possible paths to change the current situation of China's petrochemical industry: the first is a significant drop in crude oil prices; the second is the original development of high-value-added "blue ocean products"; and the third is the realization of raw material substitution. Among them, the success possibility of raw material substitution is the greatest, and its core value is reflected in three aspects: first, it solves the problem of raw material shortage, reduces the dependence on imported crude oil, and ensures the safety of the supply chain; second, it significantly reduces production costs, improves the profit level of enterprises, and copes with market fluctuations; third, it promotes the green transformation of the industry, helps achieve the "dual carbon" goals, and at the same time creates new growth points for the industry.
Raw material substitution is not merely about "swapping raw materials", but rather achieving an all-round optimization of the "raw material - process - product" chain through technological innovation. From the short-term goal of revitalizing idle resources to reduce costs, to the medium-term promotion of green raw material transformation, and ultimately to the long-term realization of industrial coupling and upgrading, this path clearly outlines a blueprint for the high-quality development of the petrochemical industry. For enterprises, paying attention to and laying out relevant technological directions will become an important means to enhance core competitiveness. Moving forward, we will continue to interpret the latest technological trends in the industry, helping everyone broaden their professional horizons and seize development opportunities.
