LIN-HSIANG PETROLEUM REFINERY AND STORAGE NW LIN-HSIANG, CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00909A000500010039-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2008
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: January 1, 1973
• Content Type: REPORT

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Top Secret
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Industrial Facilities
(Non-Military)
Basic Imagery Interpretation Report
Lin-hsiang Petroleum Refinery and Storage NW
Lin-hsiang, China
25X1
Top Secret
RCS
13/0009/7
~
25X1
DATE
copy
1 ~. 9
PAGES 9
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
Imagery Analysis Service
Lin-hsiang Petroleum Refinery and Storage NW
UTM COORDINATES
NA
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
29-31-50N 113-21-15E
MAP REFERENCE
15th RTS. USATC, Series 200, Sheet 0494-20AL, 1st ed, Oct 60, Scale 1:200,000
(SECRET)
Lin-hsiang Petroleum Refinery and Storage NW is the first refinery in China
built at a regional petroleum storage site. This site now appears to serve
only as a storage area for the refinery. The products of the refinery include
straight-run, cracked, reformed, and blended gasolines in a wide range of octane
ratings, kerosene, diesel and fuel oils, petroleum coke, gaseous hydrocarbons,
and possibly benzene, toluene, and xylene. The main processing units are a
crude oil distillation unit, a catalytic cracking unit, a delayed coking unit,
and a catalytic reforming-hydrotreating unit. Associated with the refinery are
a petrochemical plant under construction and a transshipment area on the Yangtze
River.
Site preparation for the refinery was observed in July 1969. By October
1969 the crude oil distillation unit was under construction. The refinery was
first seen operating in February 1972 and it was operating on the most recent
coverage in July 1972.
This report includes two photographs, a line drawing of the refinery, a list
of functional areas with measurements of storage tanks, and a discussion of the
status of facilities.
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Lin-hsiang Petroleum Refinery and Storage NW is located 6 nautical miles (nm)
west-northwest of Lin-hsiang and 80 nm south-southwest of Wu-han, Hunan Province
(see Figure 1). It is located at the previously existing Lin-hsiang Regional
Petroleum Storage Site NW and is the first refinery in China built at one of
these regional storage sites. This site now appears to serve as a storage area
for the refinery and not as part of the regional petroleum storage system.
Crude oil to charge the refinery probably comes from the Chien-chiang
Oilfield located 70 nm to the northwest, which is the only 25X1
known source of crude,oil in this part of China. Rail service to the refinery
is provided by a spur from the line between Wu-han and Yueh-yang. Electric
power and steam are produced at a heat and thermal power plant collocated with
the refinery.
The refinery and its associated facilities (excluding the large housing,
support, and storage area) occupy about 475 acres. -,However, only about 20 acres
are occupied by processing equipment. A large portion of the plant area is unused
and possibly is unusable due to the terrain. No security fences have been
observed, but the hilly terrain provides some natural protection.
The Yun-chi Petrochemical Plant is in the midstage of 25X1
construction 4.5 nm southwest of the refinery. It is connected to the refinery
by a pipeline which will carry feedstocks to the petrochemical plant (see
Figure 2). A transshipment area on the Yangtze River is connected by pipelines
to one of the refinery storage areas (Area L) and to the refinery. The trans-
shipment area contains four wharves,?13 semiburied storage tanks (two of them
under construction), a small heat and thermal power plant, and a small water
treatment plant.
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Operational Functions
The main processing units at the refinery are a crude oil distillation unit,
a catalytic cracking unit, a delayed coking unit, and a catalytic reforming-
hydrotreating unit (see Figures 3 and 4). Several small unidentified processing
units are also present, but they are located outside the refining area and do
not appear to be significant.
The main product of the refinery is straight-run, cracked, reformed, and
blended gasolines in a wide range of octane ratings. Other products include
kerosene, diesel and fuel oils, petroleum coke, and gaseous hydrocarbons. The
quality of some of the products (probably diesel and fuel oils) is improved by
hydrotreating. It is possible that benzene, toluene, and xylene are separated
from the reformed gasoline.
Construction and Operational Status
Site preparation for the refinery was observed on photography of July 1969.
Construction on the crude oil distillation unit was observed in October 1969.
Due to the lack of photography between December 1969 and March 1971, it cannot
be determined when construction began on the delayed coking unit, the catalytic
cracking unit, or the catalytic reforming-hydrotreating unit.
The refinery was first seen operating in February 1972 and it was operating
on the most recent coverage in July 1972.
No additional construction on processing units was observed on the most
recent photography.
The construction chronology for the refinery is shown in Figure 5.
Functional Description
Table 1 lists the functional areas within the refinery and contains measure-
ments of storage tanks in the storage areas. All measurements are rounded to the
nearest 5 feet.
Table 1. Facilities at Lin-hsiang Petroleum Refinery
and Storage NW (Keyed to Figure 3).
Area Functional Description
Remarks
A Storage and Shipping This was originally the trans-
shipment area of Lin-hsiang
Regional Petroleum Storage
Site. It was expanded and
storage tanks were added when
construction began on the
refinery. Area contains 17
cylindrical storage tanks
(12 are semiburied)
2 60-foot-diameter
2 45-foot-diameter
2 40-foot-diameter
1 35-foot-diameter
6 30-foot-diameter
4 25-foot-diameter
B Storage This was the storage area of
Lin-hsiang Regional Petroleum
Storage Site. It contains 30
semiburied storage tanks
(not measured).
25X1
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Tf)D CGrDGT DIIGC
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Functional Description Remarks
Storage, Support, and
Area contains 6 cylindrical
Miscellaneous U/I Processing storage tanks
4 30-foot-diameter
2 10-foot-diameter
D Support
E Catalytic Reforming-Hydrotreating This unit contains more columns
than are necessary for reforming
and hydrotreating. Therefore,
some aromatics (BTX) separation
may also occur in this unit.
F Storage
G Delayed Coking
H Support and Water Cooling
I Crude Oil Distillation
Area contains 14 cylindrical
storage tanks
3 70-foot-diameter
4 45-foot-diameter
1 40-foot-diameter
6 35-foot-diameter
An additional 115-foot-diameter
storage tank is under construction.
The unit has 4 coking drums.
This is the standard type crude
oil distillation unit being
constructed in new Chinese
refineries. It has one atmospheric
and one vacuum distillation section.
Area contains 3 cylindrical storage
tanks
2 115-foot-diameter
1 45-foot-diameter
J Catalytic Cracking This is the standard catalytic
cracking unit being constructed
in new Chinese refineries and
being added to older refineries.
It has an associated vapor
recovery section.
K Storage
L Storage
Area contains 6 cylindrical
storage tanks
3 75-foot-diameter
2 50-foot-diameter
1 30-foot-diameter
Two additional cylindrical
storage tanks are under
construction (not measured).
Area contains 15 semiburied
storage tanks, 110 feet in
diameter, which are connected
by pipeline to the transshipment
area on the Yangtze River and
to the refinery. They could
be used for storage of crude
oil or products.
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i ur ~tuict i Kurr
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HOUSING, SUPPORT, AND STORAGE
THERMAL I
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FIGURE 4. LIN?HSIANG PETROLEUM REFINERY AND STORAGE NW, CHINA.
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KEY TO ANNOTATIONS
AREA
DESCRIPTION
A
STORAGE AND SHIPPING
B
STORAGE
C
STORAGE, SUPPORT, AND MISCELLANEOUS
UNIDENTIFIED PROCESSING
D
SUPPORT
E
CATALYTIC REFORMING-HYDROTREATING
F
STORAGE
G
DELAYED COKING
H
SUPPORT AND WATER COOLING
I
CRUDE OIL DISTILLATION
J
CATALYTIC CRACKING
K
STORAGE
L
STORAGE
LEGEND
? ?
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
fUJU
HEAT EXCHANGERS/ACCUMULATORS/COOLING COILS
? ?
FURNACE
0
BUILDING
BUILDING U/C
COOLING TOWER
TANK
TANK U/C
SEMIBURIED TANK
11 11
HORIZONTAL TANKS
?
WATER STORAGE
I--
RAILROAD
-I
RAILCAR LOADING RACK
?
FLARE TOWER
NOTE: LINE DRAWING BASED ON UNRECTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHY
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Map
15th RTS. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0494-20AL, 1st edition,
October 1960, Scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
Requirement
COMIREX N06
Support Number 423838
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Top Secret
Top Secret
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