The DMTO process (DICP Methanol to Olefins) was a proprietary technology developed by DICP. On 8th August, the first DMTO commercial unit in the world, with a production capacity of 600,000 tons of lower olefins per year, was proved to be completely successful in its first commissioning operation.

The commercialization of the DMTO process signified a new milestone in the production of olefins via a non-petrochemical route. It was a significant R&D achievement in a time span of more than 20 years and with the efforts of several generations of DICP researchers. In 2006, the DMTO process was put into a 10,000 ton scale commercial pilot plant test under the collaboration of DICP scientists and Chinese industrial engineering forces. In September 2007, a technical license contract was signed between DICP and the SHENHUA Group Holdings of China, which allowed the official commencement of commercialization of the DMTO process. In 2008, the construction of the first commercial DMTO unit began, and was completed in May 2010.

The commissioning of the first DMTO process commercial unit was highly valued by leading officials of various Chinese authorities. Mr. HUA Jianmin, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, and Mr. ZHANG Guobao, Vice-Director of State Commission of Development & Reforming and Director of National Bureau of Energy, supervised the commissioning operation of the DMTO commercial unit. They highly evaluated the successful start-up of the first DMTO commercial unit in the world.