Shell Chemicals and Linde GmbH, a global industrial gases and engineering company, recently entered into a collaboration agreement on ethane-oxidative dehydrogenation (E-ODH) technology for ethylene production.
Both companies have been developing E-ODH technology. Under the agreement, they will accelerate the deployment of the technology in the wider chemicals sector.
The technology uses a catalytic process for ethane steam cracking. This produces a significantly lower overall carbon footprint and also offers acetic acid co-production and potential of economic advantages, the companies said.
The technology is for customers who need both ethylene and acetic acid to produce chemicals.
Linde will market the technology to customers under the name EDHOX.
“With the EDHOX™ process, we have not only developed a cost-efficient alternative but are also providing the petrochemical industry with a low-emission process,” John van der Velden, Linde Engineering senior vice president global sales and technology, said. “For decades, we have been actively developing technologies for more sustainability in this industry – from efficiency improvements to carbon management and new process routes. We are convinced that Linde´s EDHOX technology position will be strengthened by Shell´s intellectual property and know-how in this area.”
Shell is constructing the Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex, an ethane cracker near Pittsburgh.