AOJI RI SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM PLANT CHOSEN KYONGHUNG-UP, NORTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00909A000500010021-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2008
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: June 1, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

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.DIRECTORATE. OF
INTELLIGENCE
Top Secret
Industrial Facilities
'(Non-Military
Basic Imagevy Interpretation Report
Aoji Ri Synthetic Petroleum Plant Chosen
Kyonghung-up, North Korea
op secr
DATE JUNE 1969
COPY
r 11 946PAGES
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TOP SECRET RUFF
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
Imagery Analysis Service
Aoji Ri Synthetic Petroleum Plant Chosen
25X1
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WAC-P I C Nc25X1
0290-172
Not Required ,
This report provides a detailed imagery-derived analysis of the Aoji Ri
Synthetic Petroleum Plant in North Korea, from December 1962 to November 1968.
This plant was complete when first seen in December 1962. It appeared
to be in operation on all subsequent coverage, and no significant changes
have been made to it since that time. The plant products are synthetic oil
and refined petroleum products, primary gasoline and diesel oil.
This report includes a detailed line drawing, a photograph of the plant,
a construction chronology, and reference data.
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RCS - 13/0236/69
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The Aoji Ri Synthetic Petroleum Plant Chosen is located 2 nautical miles
(nm) west of Aoji on the eastern edge of Kyonghung-up. The plant is situated
in a mountainous area 4 nm from the Chinese border. The Aoji Ri Thermal
Power Plant which furnishes electric power for the synthetic 25X1
petroleum plant, is located immediately south of the plant. Two.coal mines
are located immediately south and east of the plant. Collateral information
V.
concerning the synthetic petroleum plant has varied greatly. Early information
stated that synthetic oil and petroleum products were produced here from
coal gas. More recent information suggests that methanol, ammonia and urea
are being produced instead. The photographic signatures indicate that the
plant produces synthetic petroleum products, with ammonia and possibly methanol
and urea among its by-products.
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Physical Features
The synthetic petroleum plant occupies an irregularly shaped area which
,measures approximately 3,500 by 2,000 feet and contains approximately 160
acres. No security measures are evident. The plant is served by a good all-
weather road system and by a rail spur from the main line between Namyang and
Hongui.
This plant produces synthetic petroleum products utilizing the Berguis
Process. In general, the plant layout and process facilities, including the
gas generation plant, the low temperature carbonization plant, and the air
separation plant are similar to older plants seen in eastern Europe. The
location of the plant near coal mines and adjacent to a thermal electric
power plant is also consistent with what was seen in eastern Europe.
Operational Functions
The major products of this plant are synthetic oil and refined petroleum
products, primarily gasoline and diesel oil. It is possible that methanol is
produced and the facilities are not recognizable on available photography. The
feed materials necessary for its production (hydrogen and carbon dioxide/carbon
monoxide) are available in quantity from the gas production area (Area A,
Figure 3). Limited amounts of ammonia are produced as a by-product of the
low temperature carbonization plant (Area C). In addition, urea could be
produced in. small quantities, since the feed materials (ammonia and carbon
dioxide) are available. Other by-products produced are coke, benzol, oxygen,
nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
In general the production flow is as follows. Coal from the mining area
(Area D) is made into briquettes. These are then heated at a low temperature
in retorts (Item 12, Area C) designed to produce volatiles containing the
highest possible proportion of tar. Hydrogen gas, produced in the gas
production area, and tar are forced under high pressure into stalls (Item
39, Area H). Heat is applied, and the resulting reaction produces lighter
hydrocarbon fractions including gasoline. After the hydrogenation reaction
is complete, a crane removes the stalls and places them on let-down stands.
Here the temperature and pressure are gradually reduced and the material
removed. The hydrogenated fractions are further processed in standard
petroleum refining equipment (Area F).
Construction Chronology
The plant was complete and appeared to be in operation when first
seen on small-scale coverage of December 1962. No changes in facilities
have been noted, and the plant appeared to be in operation on all subsequent
coverage.
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Maps
15 th RTS. US Air Target Chart 200, Sheet M0290-10HL, 4th Edition,
July 1967, Scale 1:200,000 (SECRET
Requirement
EXSUBCOM - BR-N/003-69
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