PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES, MARKET OUTLOOK
businesswire | June 06, 2023
Pembina Pipeline Corporation is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement ("MOA") with Marubeni Corporation ("Marubeni"), to progress an end-to-end, low-carbon ammonia supply chain from Western Canada to Japan and other Asian markets (the "Project"). The Project includes the joint development of a world-scale, low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production facility (the "Facility") to be sited on Pembina-owned lands adjacent to its Redwater Complex in the Alberta Industrial Heartland near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
"This project represents a transformative opportunity that is highly aligned with Pembina's strategic priorities, including supporting global decarbonization efforts by exporting low-carbon energy derived from natural gas responsibly produced in Western Canada," said Stu Taylor, Pembina's Senior Vice President & Corporate Development Officer. "The Project is an example of Pembina's ability to leverage its existing asset base and core competencies to develop new integrated value chains, including carbon capture, utilization and storage ("CCUS") and low-carbon energy such as hydrogen, and ammonia as a hydrogen carrier and fuel source. Marubeni has deep expertise in areas critical to the success of the Project and we are delighted to be working with them to facilitate the global movement towards greater use of low-carbon ammonia and to support Japan's decarbonization strategy."
Demand for low-carbon ammonia in Japan and other Asian markets is expected to grow substantially given its efficiency as a carrier of hydrogen and use as a low-carbon fuel source. Ammonia is one of the most widely produced synthetical chemicals in the world today and the production technology and handling are well understood and established. Alberta is the leading region in Canada for existing ammonia production and the Project is another opportunity to support development of a hydrogen and low-carbon economy.
"The Project will leverage access to existing infrastructure and benefit from Canada's abundant natural gas supply, advantaged West Coast shipping access to Asia, and growing carbon capture and sequestration industry. Pembina has a long history and strong reputation as a leading Canadian energy infrastructure provider and we are honoured to be working together as partners in the establishment of a low-carbon fuel supply chain from Canada to Japan," said Yoshiaki Yokota, Marubeni's Chief Executive Officer, Energy & Infrastructure Solution Group.
Initial feasibility studies have been completed and the Facility has an anticipated design capacity of up to 185 kilotonnes per annum of low-carbon hydrogen production, which will be converted into approximately one million tonnes per year of low-carbon ammonia. The Facility is contemplated to utilize innovative technology to capture a significant amount of the CO2 emissions with the potential for integrated transportation and sequestration on the proposed Alberta Carbon Grid being developed by Pembina and TC Energy. The low-carbon ammonia would be transported via rail to Canada's West Coast and shipped to Japan and other Asian markets.
Pembina and Marubeni will utilize their complementary strengths to develop and execute the Project. Pembina brings its expertise in Western Canadian energy infrastructure development, construction and operations, rail logistics and export. Marubeni, a globally leading independent power producer and integrated trading conglomerate, will leverage its marketing and marine logistics capabilities, and is expected to contract for offtake from the Facility, which will be used to supply Marubeni-owned and other Japanese utility power plants. Under the MOA, Pembina and Marubeni will focus on completing work critical to the development of the Project, including preliminary Front End Engineering Design ("pre-FEED"), engagement with various stakeholders, including governments in Canada and Japan, and commercial activities. The Project is expected to be structured as an infrastructure-style, fee-based business with investment grade counterparties. Pre-FEED work is currently expected to be completed by early 2024.
Pembina Low Carbon Complex
The Project would potentially serve as an anchor development to advance Pembina's ongoing efforts to establish a new growth platform known as the Pembina Low Carbon Complex ("PLCC"). With over 2,000 contiguous acres of undeveloped land located in the Alberta Industrial Heartland, Pembina's vision is to develop an industrial complex for low-carbon energy infrastructure to better enable Pembina and third parties to develop projects, while reducing costs, emissions, and risk.
The PLCC will be focused on attracting and developing investment for innovative and emerging energy transition technologies, sustainable fuels, and chemicals, specifically low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen carriers such as ammonia and methanol. Projects within the PLCC would gain access to one or more of the following prerequisites to enable the construction and operation of large-scale clean energy projects: land, low-carbon hydrogen, clean power, natural gas and industrial gases, water, CCUS, and the construction and operation of rail assets to support product movement.
Within the PLCC, Pembina would lease land to third parties and provide infrastructure, logistics, and shared services to tenants, depending on their needs, under typical Pembina commercial models. Tenants are contemplated to capture CO2 and direct those emissions to Pembina in support of the proposed Alberta Carbon Grid. Pembina may also consider direct investments in projects.
Commercial discussions are progressing with various potential tenants and strategic partners and Pembina looks forward to providing future updates.
About Pembina
Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider that has served North America's energy industry for more than 65 years. Pembina owns an integrated network of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics services, and a growing export terminals business. Through our integrated value chain, we seek to provide safe and reliable infrastructure solutions which connect producers and consumers of energy across the world, support a more sustainable future and benefit our customers, investors, employees and communities.
Read More
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, RAW MATERIALS
Businesswire | June 05, 2023
Global chemical company OQ Chemicals has launched Oxbalance TCD Alcohol DM, a sustainable alternative to conventional TCD Alcohol DM (Tricyclodecane Dimethanol). The ISCC PLUS-certified product is made from more than 70% biobased and biocircular feedstocks. OQ Chemicals recently increased its production capacity for TCD Alcohol DM in 2022 and is now expanding the application range for this product with the biobased variant. Due to its special properties, Oxbalance TCD Alcohol DM is suitable for the production of high-performance technical polymers such as polyesters, polycarbonates, and polyurethanes, as well as for use in adhesives, coatings and paints for the food packaging, electronics, and automotive industries.
“Our Oxbalance products provide our customers with a sustainable alternative to conventional fully synthetic products. Certified as biomaterials, they fully meet the specifications and qualities of conventional products without requiring a new approval or qualification. With these products that are mass-balanced according to ISCC PLUS, we offer our customers a solution that meets the growing demand for sustainable raw materials and the increasing requirements for complete transparency in the supply chain. Our customers can switch to our biobased Oxbalance products without compromising on performance or quality,” said David Faust, Executive Vice President Oxo Performance Chemicals at OQ Chemicals.
Dr. Oliver Borgmeier, CEO of OQ Chemicals, emphasized: “Oxbalance is our new line of biobased Oxo Performance Chemicals. We are proud to offer our customers sustainable alternatives to conventional fully synthetic products - first Oxbalance Isononanoic Acid and now Oxbalance TCD Alcohol DM. We will continue to expand our biobased portfolio. As an industry partner, we are growing together with our customers and developing sustainable solutions for the global market.”
The OxBalance product line uses the ISCC PLUS mass balance approach, which tracks renewable raw materials in chemical manufacturing processes and assigns them to the products. OxBalance is a registered trademark of OQ Chemicals.
About OQ Chemicals
OQ Chemicals (formerly Oxea) is a global manufacturer of Oxo Intermediates and Oxo Performance Chemicals such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These are used to produce high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, flavors and fragrances, printing inks, and plastics. OQ Chemicals employs more than 1,400 people worldwide and markets its chemicals in more than 60 countries. The company is part of OQ, an integrated energy company originating in Oman. More information is available at chemicals.oq.com.
Read More
CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Businesswire | June 02, 2023
Azelis a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Sirius International (“Sirius”), a well-established distributor of specialty chemicals in the Benelux market.
This acquisition complements Azelis’ lateral value chain in home care and industrial cleaning with an attractive portfolio and aligns perfectly with Azelis' ambition to become a world-leading innovation service provider. Pioneering in the formulation of sustainable cleaning products from biodegradable and/or recyclable chemical raw materials and with expertise in green chemicals, Sirius will reinforce Azelis' best-in-class sustainability program and enable it to offer innovative environmental solutions to its customers in the EMEA region and beyond.
Founded in 2004 by current CEO Leo Verboeket, Sirius is a distributor of environmentally friendly chemicals for the detergent, personal care and water treatment markets in Europe. Based in Baarn, the Netherlands, this team of experienced professionals has an established market position and longstanding relationships with its principals, providing innovative products to European customers.
Leo Verboeket, CEO Sirius, comments
“We are excited to join Azelis’ family, a company that shares our values and commitment to sustainability. We look forward to developing more innovative solutions for our customers and expanding the reach of our current offerings to customers worldwide. This partnership will allow us to leverage Azelis' global network and expertise in sustainable chemistry, as we work together towards our shared goal of making a positive impact on the environment and society.”
Evy Hellinckx, Managing Director Azelis Benelux, adds
“By joining forces with Sirius, we are delighted to strengthen our presence in, among others, the home care and industrial cleaning markets in the Benelux and EMEA region. We are committed to promoting sustainable solutions across all sectors of the chemical industry, and we believe that this partnership will help us achieve our goals. We look forward to working with the talented team at Sirius to drive innovation and deliver value to our customers, while staying true to our shared values of sustainability and responsible business practices.”
About Azelis
Azelis is a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemical and food ingredients industry, present in 63 countries across the globe with over 3,800 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to more than 59,000 customers, supported by +2,700 principal relationships, creating a turnover of €4.1 billion (2022). Azelis Group NV is listed on Euronext Brussels under ticker AZE.
Read More