A gift for National Day—lifting completed successfully! What exactly has China Air Separation’s “air lifting” technology lifted?

On September 29, the lifting operation of the 50,000-cubic-meter cryogenic ethylene full-containment tank in the low-temperature tank area of the Dingxin Storage Project on Xizhong Island, Dalian—undertaken by China Air Separation Engineering Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “China Air Separation”) as general contractor—was successfully completed. This milestone marks a significant achievement for the project and lays a solid foundation for its early commissioning and operation.

As the 75th anniversary of our motherland approaches, China Air Separation is putting its corporate responsibility as a central state-owned enterprise into action. Relying on its outstanding technological prowess and spirit of innovation, it proudly supports the towering presence of large-scale storage tanks, continuously contributing the strength of a central state-owned enterprise to the development of a world-class petrochemical industry base and a sophisticated chemical industry chain.

1. Set a new record

The project employs an all-encompassing prestressed concrete storage tank, with the main structure comprising a metal inner tank, a prestressed concrete outer tank, and an interlayer insulation system. Early that morning, driven by a blower, the dome rose smoothly to a height of 36 meters over a period of two hours. The arch roof panels precisely aligned with the pressure-bearing ring, completing the lifting process in one seamless motion!

Since construction began on May 16 of this year, the project has maintained quality and accelerated the schedule at an “air separation pace,” setting a new record of just 136 days—from the start of construction to successful roof lifting. At the same time, this marks another successful completion of large-scale cryogenic tank roof-lifting operations by the company, following the Chifeng Yuanjing Zero-Carbon Hydrogen-Ammonia Project on September 12—a feat that earned the company the distinction of achieving “double roof lifts in a single month.” Through numerous project implementations, China Air Separation has accumulated extensive experience in the field of large-scale cryogenic storage tanks, successfully achieving “full coverage” across four key areas: tank types, storage product categories, storage and transportation methods, and storage and transportation functions. The company now offers end-to-end lifecycle services—from pre-project consulting and engineering design through construction, operation, and technical upgrades.

2. Tap into new markets

The project is located in the Dalian Changxing Island (Xizhong Island) Petrochemical Base—the nation’s seventh major petrochemical industrial base and the only national-level petrochemical base in Northeast China. This marks a new journey for the company to further deepen its presence in another key domestic petrochemical base, following its long-term engagement with the Lianyungang Petrochemical Base.

Currently, the Changxing Island (Xizhong Island) petrochemical industrial base is accelerating its efforts to build a trillion-yuan-level green petrochemical industry base. As a public liquefied hydrocarbon storage facility for the base, this project will significantly enhance Xizhong Island’s warehousing capacity. Not only will it meet the ethylene feedstock supply needs of Dingjidé (Liaoning Dingjidé Petrochemical Technology Co., Ltd.), a high-end new materials project, but it will also provide ethylene and ethane feedstock storage and logistics services to petrochemical enterprises within the base—particularly playing a positive role in the further development and expansion of the high-end chemical industry. The smooth progress of this project fully demonstrates China Air Separation’s outstanding capabilities in the EPC field for large-scale cryogenic petrochemical storage tanks and has earned the full recognition of the client.

3. Lift up the new backbone

Since the project’s construction began, frontline personnel have been stationed on-site. At the earliest opportunity, they established the Party Member Commando Team for the Dingxin Cryogenic Tank Area Project. This is a combat-ready team composed of young, experienced core members. Over the past few years, most of them have undergone rigorous training through participation in numerous large-scale cryogenic tank projects across China. Today, they have grown into a new pillar of technological innovation in the storage and transportation sector, making positive contributions to opening up new markets in the petrochemical industry and setting new records in cryogenic storage and transportation technology. At the Dingxin Project in Dalian, young faces can be seen moving seamlessly through every stage of the project’s construction, comprehensively strengthening supervision throughout the entire construction process. They irrigate their sense of responsibility with sweat and embody the commitment of young air separation professionals through their actions. The project department has been repeatedly recognized as an outstanding unit for both schedule and quality, and many team members have been honored as model figures in quality and safety.

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On that day, a lively gas-lifting ceremony was also held on site. Lou Jiangning, Party Secretary and Chairman of the company, Xu Xianghui, General Manager, and Li Jijie, Deputy General Manager, along with their delegation, attended the gas-lifting ceremony.

Lou Jiangning delivered a speech on behalf of China Air Separation. He stated that, to ensure the smooth completion of this gas lifting operation, China Air Separation had meticulously planned and rigorously controlled every stage—focusing on strategic planning, progress management, and safety assurance—with steady and swift steps, leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to provide full support. He emphasized that China Air Separation will always uphold the responsibilities and commitments expected of a central state-owned enterprise, fully leveraging its core strengths in engineering general contracting and cryogenic storage and transportation, and going all out to guarantee the successful completion of the project. On the vibrant construction site of Changxing Island, China Air Separation will continue to contribute its expertise and resources to accelerate the “second entrepreneurship and renewed takeoff”!

Chang Jianfeng, member of the Party Working Committee and deputy director of the Management Committee of the Dalian Changxing Island Economic and Technological Development Zone, announced the start of the gas-lift ceremony.

The holding of the gas-lift ceremony for the cryogenic storage tank marks the successful completion of the project’s main structural work and lays a solid foundation for subsequent equipment installation and commissioning. The project will provide the necessary conditions for raw material storage and supply for the entire facility. Upon completion, it will significantly enhance the West Zhongdao Petrochemical Base’s capabilities in maritime transportation, warehousing, and processing.

Adhering to the service philosophy of creating value, China Air Separation is committed to building a dynamic and outstanding young team, becoming a new cornerstone of technological innovation in the storage and transportation sector. We are constantly opening up new markets in the petrochemical industry, continuously breaking new records in the field of cryogenic storage and transportation, and striving to reach new heights in the cryogenic storage and transportation industry!

Contributed by: Party Committee Office (Party Publicity Department), Lu Yijun

Editor: Party Committee Office (Party Committee Publicity Department)