MAO-MING SHALE OIL REFINERY MAO-MING, CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00909A000500010023-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2008
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: June 1, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

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Top Secret
Industrial Facilities
(Non-Military)
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Basic Imagery Interpretation Report
Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery
Mao-ming, China
Top Secret
RCS
13/0277/69
25X1
DATE
Copy, 01
PAGES
10
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
Imagery Analysis Service
Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery
RCS - 13/0277/69
ACIC. USATC Series 200, Sheet M0615-14HL, 3rd edition, Mar 67, Scale 1:200.000
UTM COORDINATES GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
49QDP875975 21-40-45N 110-52-57E
MAP REFERENCE
Not Required
This report is a detailed description of the Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery
The basic processing facilities at the refinery were completed prior to
however, processing facilities increased by approximately
30 percent, and storage tank facilities increased by approximately 50 percent
during the 1964-1967 period. Thermal power plant and rail facilities were
added during this period, and construction of a second shale oil retort
building was resumed, indicating that production of shale oil will be in-
creased at the refinery. Refinery products include gasoline, fuel oil, and
lubricating oil. No facilities for the production of by-products could be
identified. The refinery appeared to be in operation on most of -
raphy studied for the period from
Construction activity is still evident at the refinery.
This report includes a photograph of the refinery, a detailed line
drawing, mensuration of storage facilities, a construction chronology, and
reference data.
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refinery, and the Mao-ming Thermal Power Plant Refinery lis 2bAl
located within the refinery itself. The refinery is somewhat isolated, but
is well served by both rail and road.. Shale is brought in by rail from a
large open-pit mine located approximately 1.5 nm to the north and tailings
from the shale oil retorts are deposited I nm to the northwest. A canal
from the Chien Chiang River, to the west, and a canal from the South China
Sea serve as sources of water for the refinery. There is a large water
treatment facility to the immediate south of the refinery to process the
incoming water. Two other very small shale oil plants which possibly served
as pilot plants and several minor industries are located in the vicinity.
mately 15 nm east of the town of Hua-hsien (Hua-chou). The Kung Kuan
Railroad Yard is located I nm to the northwest of the
The Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery is located approximately 15 nautical
miles (nm) south-southeast of the town of Mao-ming (Kao-chou) and approxi-
Physical Features
The refinery covers an area approximately one mile square, encompassing
640 acres. It is partially secured by a wall.
Operational Functions
The refinery extracts crude oil from shale and produces lubricating
oil, fuel oil, and gasoline from this crude. No facilities for the produc-
tion of by-products could be identified.
Status and Activity
The basic processing facilities at the Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery
were complete prior to August 1963. These were the shale oil retorts, the
crude distillation units, the major secondary processing units, and some
tank storage and support buildings. The secondary processing facilities
were expanded by approximately 30 percent and storage tank facilities by
about 50 percent during the 1964 to 1967 period. A new rail spur was also
added in the southeast corner of the refinery. One shale oil retort build-
ing, construction of which was suspended in 1963 and resumed in 1967, was
still being constructed in December 1968. This is evidence that shale oil
production should increase at this facility.
Smoke was seen emanating from one stack when the refinery was first
observed
in
August of 1963. The
most of
the
photography
studied
exceptions.
Emissions
from the
of activity.
refinery appeared +0 hP in nnPrA+inn nn
for the period from
ere the only 25X1
stacks were the most significant indicators
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The following is a general construction history of the refinery and
its facilities: (see Figure 3)
August 1963 -- The refinery was only partially covered on photography,
but appeared to be in operation.
September 1963 -- A shale oil-retort building in Area A, three crude
distillation units in Area F, a lubricating oil plant in Area G, a large
induced-draft. cooling tower, a pumphouse, a large spray pond in Area M, an
open reservoir in Area E and another in Area K, and a large amount of
tankage throughout the refinery had been completed. One shale oil retort
building was incomplete and no construction activity related to it was
observed.
November 1964 -- An open reservoir in Area K, six vertical processing
units in Area I, and additional tankage had been completed.
October 1965 -- A processing building in Area I, additional tanks
throughout the refinery area, and a rail spur in the southeast corner of
the refinery had been completed. An expansion of the lubricating oil
processing unit had begun in Area G.
February 1966 -- An open reservoir in Area K and a large coal process-
ing and storage building in the Mao-ming Thermal Plant were completed.
December 1967 -- One U/I processing unit with a man-made pond in Area
B, an U/I shale-handling facility in Area A, and an U/I building in Area E
were completed. Construction activity was resumed on easternmost shale oil
retort building.
December 1968 -- No significant additions were observed, however,
construction activity was being continued on the easternmost shale oil retort
building. Expansion of the lubricating oil processing unit was completed in
Area G.
Facilities and Equipment
The following table lists the functional areas and facilities within
the refinery. Approximate dimensions of the storage tanks are also
presented.
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Facilities and Equipment at the Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery
Area Functional Description Equipment*
A Shale Oil Retort Area One large retort building
containing 4 shale oil extraction
units
One large retort building under
construction containing 4 shale
oil extraction units. Each
extraction unit contains 16
retorts.
I Primary shale crushing building
I Secondary crushing building
I Screening building
2 Vertical processing units
I Probable control building
2 Probable compressor buildings
I Newly-constructed U/I shale-
handling facility
I Railroad transfer facility
2 Probable administrative buildings
II U/I buildings
8 Cylindrical tanks
6 diam. 20 ft.
2 diam. 15 ft.
B U/I Processing Area 3 Vertical processing units
2 Processing buildings
I Large horizontal tank (80 ft.
in length)
4 Small U/I buildings
I Large man-made pond served by a
pumphouse
C Storage Area
6 Large warehouses
D Possible Treating Area I U/I processing building
3 Cylindrical tanks
I diam. 30 ft.
2 diam. 25 ft.
3 Horizontal tanks
1-50 ft. in length
2-40 ft. in length
I Semiburied tank
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Area Functional Description Equipment*
E Crude Oil Storage and Rail- 20 Cylindrical tanks
road Transfer Facility 5 diam. 120 ft.
14 diam. 80 ft.
I diam. 50 ft.
I Open reservoir (120.x 320 ft.)
I U/I building
I Railroad transfer facility with
building
F Crude Distillation Units and 7 Vertical processing units
Probable Thermal Reforming 4 Pipe furnaces
Unit 2 Compressor buildings
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3 Probable control buildings
5 Banks of condensers/heat ex-
G
Probable Solvent Extraction
and Deasphalting Unit with
Finished Products Storage
(Lubricating Oil Refining)
changers/cooling coils/
accumulators
9 Vertical processing units
I Compressor building
I Pipe furnace
I Probable control building
4 Horizontal
(30 ft. in
pressure tanks
length)
44 Cylindrical storage tanks
5 diam.
50
ft.
5 diam.
40
ft.
4 diam.
25
ft.
2 diam.
20
ft.
14 diam.
15
ft.
6 diam.
10
ft.
8 diam.
5
ft.
2 Cylindrical
storage tanks U/C
I Open reservoir (90 ft. x 130 ft.)
I Induced-draft cooling tower
2 U/I buildings
H Probable Dewaxing (Paraffin) I Vented dewaxing building
Plant and Clay Treatment I Clay treatment building
Facility with Finished I U/I building
Product Storage 23 Cylindrical tanks (30 ft. diam.)
(Lubricating Oil Refining) 17 diam. 20 ft.
5 diam. 20 ft.
I diam. 10 ft.
3 Horizontal tanks
1-70 ft. in length
2-20 ft. in length
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Area Functional Description Equipment*
K Crude Oil Storage and Rail- I Railroad transfer facility
road Transfer Facility 2 Probable oil pumphouses
17 Cylindrical tanks
I diam. 120 ft.
10 diam. 80 ft.
4 floating-top diam. 60 ft.
2 diam. 35 ft.
6 Cylindrical tanks U/C
3 Open reservoirs
1-300 x 120 ft.
1-200 x 120 ft.
1-160 x 90 ft.
I Pond with pumphouse
Probable Shipping Area with I Building
Finished Product Storage I Pipe furnace
6 Batch agitators 20 ft. diam.
6 Cylindrical tanks 30 ft. diam.
I Floating-top cylindrical tank
(60 ft. diam.)
7 Floating-top cylindrical tanks
(80 ft. diam.)
I Probable pumphouse
Storage Area 14 Warehouses
Cooling Facilities
Plant is rail-served with extensive
coal-handling facilities, a
water treatment facility, a
large stack, an electrical
power sub-station, and support
buildings. The entire area is
secured by a wall.
I Large spray pond served by
2 pumphouses
I Large induced-draft cooling
tower
I U/I building
Crude Oil Storage 4 Cylindrical tanks (120 ft. diam.)
4 Cylindrical tanks U/C
*NOTE: All dimensions given have been rounded off to the nearest five feet.
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 AREA M
0 000
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iur JtLKt i KW
1
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1 00
AREA L
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NOTE: THIS DRAWING MADE FROM UNRECTIFIED PHOTOGRA:
U/I PROCESSING AREA
STORAGE AREA
POSSIBLE TREATING AREA
CRUDE OIL STORAGE AND RAILROAD
TRANSFER FACILITY
CRUDE DISTILLATION UNITS AND
PROBABLE THERMAL REFORMING UNIT
PROBABLE SOLVENT EXTRACTION AND
DEASPHALTING UNIT WITH FINISHED
PRODUCTS STORAGE (LUBRICATING OIL
REFINING
PROBABLE DEWAXING(PARAFFIN)PLANT
FINISHEDYPRODUCTSTORAGE(LUBRICATING
OIL REFINING)
PROBABLE SHIPPING AREA
WITH FINISHED PRODUCT S ORAGE
J THERMAL POWER PLANT
K CRUDE OIL STORAGE AND RAILROAD
TRANSFER FACILITY
L STORAGE AREA
M COOLLINGGIFACILITIES
-------------
?lL---r-........ -
AREA C
-E --1 0 0 0 L-----'
0 0 0
e- w Y==r y y 1 u ^
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - J7---
0 O O O ~a o 1
=?
^ 1
170
1.
2
- w-
nnnn
LEGEND
TANK U/C
SEMIBURIED TANK
BUILDING
TANK
COOLING TOWER
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
HORIZONTAL TANK
STACK
POND/RESERVOIR
RAILROAD
WALL
PIPE FURNACE
CONDENSERS/HEAT
EXCHANGERS/COOLING
COILS/ACCUMULATORS
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Map
ACIC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet M0515-14 HL
I.
China-Industries, Mao-ming Shale Oil Refinery, May
1968 (SECRET)
Requirement
EXSUBCOM - BR-N/002-69
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