Lu'an Group kicks off China's first CTL synfuel products project

China’s Lu’an Group has successfully produced synfuel products from its pilot coal-to-liquids (CTL) project, marking a first for the country, a senior engineer with the company’s CTL division said. The indirect CTL plant, which has a total investment of around 4 billion yuan (US$584.3 million), will have a designed capacity of 160,000 metric tons of annual synfuel output, including liquefied petroleum gas and gasoline, when fully online next spring. The government, which is keen on developing this strategically significant sector that helps turn massive coal resources into much-needed oil, has roped in global pioneer South Africa’s Sasol Ltd. (SSL) for the purpose. (December 22, 2008)