Qixiang Tengda 200,000 Tons/Year Iso-Nonanol Project Phase I Environmental Impact Assessment Public Notice

On January 28, the Zibo Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment released the "Public Notice on the Acceptance of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the 200,000 t/a Iso-Nonanol Project (Phase I Butene Separation Unit) of Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical Co., Ltd.". The public consultation period will run from January 29 to February 11, 2026 (a total of 10 working days), during which public opinions are solicited.

According to the notice, Qixiang Tengda plans to invest RMB 1.799 billion to construct a 200,000 t/a iso-nonanol project at its new plant site. The overall construction includes a 350,000 t/a butene unit, an 180,000 t/a octene unit, a 200,000 t/a iso-nonanol unit, an 88 million Nm³/a syngas unit, and a catalyst preparation, recovery, and evaluation unit. The project has already obtained the Shandong Provincial Construction Project Filing Certificate.

The Phase I butene separation unit subject to this notice is a renovation and expansion project, with a total investment of RMB 600 million, of which RMB 7.3 million is allocated for environmental protection, accounting for 1.22% of the total. The project is located within Qixiang Tengda's new plant site in the Qilu Chemical Industry Park, Zibo City, Shandong Province, at geographical coordinates 118°9'21.5" E, 36°45'18.0" N. The construction period is only one month, with completion and operation expected by April 2026. The construction primarily includes a 350,000 t/a butene unit, a circulating water field, a unit substation and distribution room, a control room, and an initial rainwater collection pond. Supporting facilities such as water supply and drainage, tank farms, firefighting, waste gas treatment, and wastewater treatment will rely on the existing plant infrastructure.

The core of this environmental impact assessment notice involves adjustments to the operational plan of the 350,000 t/a butene unit. Previously, this unit had been completed, while the supporting 180,000 t/a octene unit and 200,000 t/a iso-nonanol unit, though having received environmental approval in 2024, have not yet commenced construction. If production proceeds according to the original environmental assessment plan, the output of the butene unit would have to be entirely sold externally. This would deviate from the original intention of supplying feedstock for the iso-nonanol unit and, due to the low added value of the products, result in poor economic returns and resource wastage.

Therefore, the project proposes to adjust the 350,000 t/a butene unit to operate under two different scenarios, not simultaneously, allowing flexible switching based on market conditions. Changes to the pollutant discharge permit will be completed before any switch: Scenario 1 uses purchased ether-front C4 as feedstock, simultaneously operating the etherification unit and the butene separation unit; Scenario 2 uses crude isobutene as feedstock, operating only the etherification unit. The adjustment aims to maximize the economic benefits of the butene unit and ensure the overall profitability of the project.

It is reported that Qixiang Tengda's 200,000 t/a iso-nonanol series project is a major project in Shandong Province. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 20, 2025. The project utilizes France's Axens Dimersol technology for butene oligomerization and the low-pressure oxo (LP OXO) synthesis technology jointly developed by UK's Johnson Matthey and US's Dow Chemical. Upon completion, it will further enhance the company's layout in the C4产业链 (carbon four industry chain) and boost its capacity to supply high-end chemical products.