Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) is making a significant contribution in carbon capture and storage through initiatives, such as the world’s largest CO2 purification plant at its manufacturing affiliate United, said a senior company official.

Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan, acting vice-chairman and CEO, was speaking at the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today (November 4).

The CSLF is a Ministerial-level international climate change initiative, with 23 members, that focuses on the development of improved cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) for its transport and long-term safe storage.

Sabic, Saudi Aramco, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia have collaborated to host the sixth meeting of the CSLF from November 1 to 5.

Speaking during his keynote speech, Al-Benyan said: “Sabic recognises international concerns about climate change and that taking action is a priority.”

“We are part of the solution because our products can help reduce CO2 emissions and help our customers to meet their sustainability goals,” he said.

“Taking action on greenhouse gas (GHG) makes business sense because operational energy and resource efficiency lowers operating costs and low carbon sustainable solutions provide lower risk growth opportunities,” he added.

The forum included exhibition by the participants. Sabic’s contribution to the event included a new video explaining the CO2 purification plant in Jubail, the reasons for its design, and the benefits it brings to Saudi Arabia and the global drive to control carbon emissions and promote sustainability, said a statement from the company.

The plant compresses and purifies around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 per day from ethylene-glycol plants, which is then pipelined to Sabic affiliates for methanol and urea production. The plant is expected to save 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year, it said.

Sabic encourages governmental support and policies that accelerate technology development and innovation, and sharing of best practices. The company engages internationally and provides Middle East leadership through active participation in a number of organisations that encourage collaboration and advocate for sustainability, including the CSLF, International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), it added.

Sabic supports and actively seeks participation in mechanisms that fits its business needs and helps accelerate CO2 reduction efforts, such as the CDM (Clean Development Mechanism). It works to provide the materials needed to adapt to climate changes such as piping for water shortages and materials to save energy in buildings and transport, said the statement.

“Our primary short-term goal is to strengthen our business through operational efficiency, investment in new low-carbon technologies and new sustainable solutions, enabling us to decrease our environmental footprint and enable sustainable benefit for our customers,” Al-Benyan added. – TradeArabia News Service