DME market welcomes significant benefits

As an alternative energy source, dimethyl ether has now become one of the internationally recognized clean energy and high-quality chemical raw materials, with a wide range of applications and price advantages. However, the standards for liquefied gas blended with dimethyl ether are still not perfect, and safety accidents are frequent. Nowadays, with the completion of the procedures for the preparation of "Standard for LPG dimethyl ether mixed gas" and "Standard for LPG dimethyl ether mixed gas cylinders," this situation is expected to usher in a turnaround.

Severe overcapacity In recent years, the supply of dimethyl ether was far greater than the demand. The operating rate of dimethyl ether production enterprises in China was low, and the overcapacity was increasingly prominent.

“DME production process is simple. In recent years, many companies blindly follow suit and have concentrated on a number of equipment.” Guo Xing, Minister of Research and Development of Shandong Jiutai Energy Group, told the reporter.

"A ton of dimethyl ether is cheaper than liquefied petroleum gas at a price of 2000-2300 yuan." Treasure Island analyst Li Feng said that because of this price advantage, 90% of dimethyl ether products are used as civilian fuels, usually liquefied gas The aeration station is used as a blended fuel for liquefied gas.

According to incomplete statistics of Treasure Island, China’s DME production capacity in 2008 was 4.9 million tons/year. With the development of the industry and policy support, the capacity increase in 2009 nearly doubled to 9.378 million tons/year, increasing to 2010. 10.22 million tons/year, and 10.6 million tons/year in 2011.

On April 14 last year, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Circular on Regulating the Orderly Development of the Coal Chemical Industry", specifying that construction of large-scale coal processing and conversion projects with an annual output of 1 million tons or less of coal-made dimethyl ether is prohibited until the new approval list is issued. . However, this did not deter local enthusiasm for investment in the dimethyl ether industry. The construction of the project while waiting for the approval of the project was very common. It was halted and launched into a unique landscape of the DME project.

"As of the end of October this year, the domestic production capacity of normal dimethyl ether producers has increased to 12.118 million tons per year, and the production capacity of those manufacturers that have not been put into production has reached 300,000 tons per year. There are still 19.43 million tons of dimethyl ether plant capacity under preparation. Tons/year." Li Feng said.

“At present, the overcapacity of DME is serious and the sales situation is not very satisfactory.” Li Fayou, sales manager of Shandong Qingda New Energy Co., Ltd., told the reporter. It is understood that at present, Shandong's dimethyl ether production capacity is over 1 million tons.

The good methanol industry is not commensurate with the rapid expansion of production capacity. For a long time, the development of DME industry standards has lags behind.

"The trials that set up the new standard prove that it is entirely feasible to mix 20% of dimethyl ether in liquefied gas," said Jianglian.

According to reports, the "National Standard for Municipal Gas DME" formally implemented on July 1st last year stipulates that dimethyl ether can only be burned as a city gas, and it requires a special bottle, which means that DME is blended with liquefied gas. The road was sealed.

However, the price advantage makes the market's blending behavior still ongoing. "Dimethyl ether blended into the liquefied gas, has become the industry's unspoken rules." Li Fayou said.

Since March of this year, liquefied petroleum gas has been commonly blended with dimethyl ether in multiple liquefied gas stations in China, and some dimethyl ethers have even reached 80%. The filling process of tankers and liquefied gas cylinders is also not standardized.

Li Feng said that the safety hazards of dimethyl ether blending mainly come from two aspects. First, because of its low flash point, there are hidden safety problems in storage and transportation. In the end, how much blending is safe, and there is no clear standard; in addition, due to the corrosion of dimethyl ether Sex, corrosion of common liquefied gas cylinders welding point, must be dedicated to the bottle, so urgent need to develop a special cylinder with a certain standard.

Last year, the National Energy Administration listed the above two standards in the second batch of industry standards (repair) planning projects in the energy sector.

"The formulation of the two new standards will play a positive role in promoting the formation of the market order of dimethyl ether mixed gas and ensuring the good use and safety of dimethyl ether mixed gas." Ether is a product formed after the dehydration of methanol. The surplus of the domestic methanol market is also serious. The introduction of new standards will also play a role in unlocking the excess methanol production capacity while releasing the dimethyl ether production capacity.