Sabic unit to build major CO2 plant
Riyadh, August 20, 2013
United Jubail Petrochemical Company (United), an affiliate of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), plans to build the world’s largest carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction plant.
United has awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for its carbon dioxide utilization project to Germany’s The Linde Group, said a statement.
The plant will be designed to compress and purify about 1,500 tons per day of raw carbon dioxide coming from ethylene glycol plants. The purified gaseous CO2 will be supplied through pipes to three Sabic-affiliated companies for enhanced methanol and urea production.
Methanol is a basic commodity for the chemical industry, and urea is used for fertilizer production. An estimated 500,000 tons of CO2 emissions will be saved each year, the statement said.
Yousef Al-Zamel, Sabic executive vice president, Chemicals Strategic Business Unit, said the project will contribute significantly to Sabic’s growth strategy. “It will add to Sabic’s business portfolio of industrial gas products. This is the first of many other similar projects to be executed next year,” he said.
The plant will also be capable of producing 200 tons per day of liquid CO2 with food grade quality which will be stored and thereafter supplied by truck to the beverage and food industry. It is the first carbon capture and utilization (CCU) project to be realized in Saudi Arabia.
The reduction of CO2 emissions is an important aim in Sabic's sustainability strategy, he said. – TradeArabia News Service
