Syngas News

Syngas News

UZBEKISTAN

New MTO plant development

Gas Chemical Complex MTO Central Asia LLC has signed an agreement with Air Products to build a new methanol production facility. Known as Methanol Island, the facility would have a capacity of 1.34 million tons per year, as a part of the Methanol-to-olefin (MTO) gas chemical complex in Uzbekistan. The facility, to be built in the Karakul Free Economic Zone situated in Uzbekistan’s Bukhara region, will cover 15 hectares. It is planned to enter operation in 2025 for an expected operational life of 25 years.

The GCC MTO complex will convert natural gas into high value polymer products with a production capacity of over 1.11 million t/a, including 250,000 t/a of polypropylene for the production of artificial fibres, electrical engineering and automotive components; 80,000 t/a of low-density polyethylene for the production of pipes, insulating materials, packaging and food films and mouldings; 100,000 t/a of ethylene vinyl acetate for the production of floor coverings, footwear and sports equipment; 300,000 t/a of polyethylene terephthalate, used for the production of containers, films and synthetic fibres, and 280,000 t/a of high density polyethylene, used for the production of pipes and fittings, barrels, canisters for fuel, freezer containers, safety helmets, furniture fittings.

Local production will help Uzbekistan reach its goal of diversifying the economy, substitute imports and potentially export products to other regions. The methanol facility will ensure the sustainable supply of methanol, hydrogen and other industrial gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, which are essential for the MTO gas chemical complex’s production processes.

Masrur Shakirov, General Director of the Gas Chemical Complex MTO, said: “We are delighted to be working with Air Products, the world’s leading industrial gases company, as partners in the complex. Air Products has established itself as a reliable supplier of proven solutions that can guarantee us both the high quality and required volume of products we need. Air Products’ investments highlight the degree of interest shown by international companies in Uzbekistan’s industrial development opportunities.”

SOUTH KOREA

OCI to fuel first methanol container ship

OCI Global says that it will fuel the first ever green methanol-powered container ship in a new partnership with A.P. Moller-Maersk. OCI will provide ISCC certified biomethanol to power the maiden voyage of Maersk’s first dual-fuelled container ship, in what it describes as “a pioneering step towards the decarbonisation of global shipping”. The marine sector is responsible for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The vessel leaves South Korea for its maiden voyage this summer, sailing along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes to Northern Europe via the Suez Canal, bunkering at several major ports along its journey. OCI is obtaining the approvals and permits required to commercially bunker methanol in several ports on the ship’s voyage, including Port of Rotterdam, positioning OCI as the first commercial bunker operator of methanol in these regions.

As the maritime industry navigates increased regulation to accelerate decarbonisation, such as the FuelEU Maritime initiative, OCI anticipates incremental global demand for methanol at 4 million t/a over the next five years, based on current orders from the marine sector, and is taking steps to be a major supplier of that anticipated demand. In February, OCI announced its project with Unibarge to retrofit the first methanol powered bunker barge, to be deployed at the Port of Rotterdam. It has also led the development of green methanol application in vehicle fuels, now placing up to 200,000 t/a equivalent and is growing its suite of low-carbon and green methanol products, including biomethanol, e-methanol, recycled carbon fuel (RCF) methanol, renewable natural gas, ethanol and bio-MTBE. OCI is developing a 1.1 million t/a blue ammonia plant in Texas, scheduled to start production in 2025 and its Egypt Green ammonia facility through Fertiglobe (a strategic partnership between OCI and ADNOC), where the first tons of green ammonia from electrolysis were produced earlier this year.

A computer rending of Maersk’s new methanol-powered container ship.

IMAGE: MAERSK

EGYPT

MoU on green methanol plant

Egyptian chemicals firm, the Alexandria National Refining and Petrochemicals Company (ANRPC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Norwegian renewables company, Scatec, for the development of a $450 million green methanol production project in collaboration with the Egyptian Bioethanol Company. Announced by Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the green methanol plant will be located in the port of Damietta and is expected to have an initial production capacity of 40,000 t/a, which could be increased to 200,000 t/a. Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El-Molla, said that this project is the first of its kind in Egypt and the Middle East and will “contribute to placing Egypt on the global map of nations that produce green fuel for ships.”

The project includes the construction of renewable energy stations with capacities of 40 MW for solar power and 120 MW for wind power. The joint development agreement will also involve the development of a 60 MW green hydrogen analyser as well as a seawater desalination plant and a green methanol production and storage station.

GERMANY

IPO for thyssenkrupp nucera

thyssenkrupp AG and thyssenkrupp nucera AG, a provider of technologies for high-efficiency electrolysis plants, have announced an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and listing of thyssenkrupp nucera on the Frankfurt stock exchange. The proceeds are expected to be around e500-600 million and are intended to drive the growth of the alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) technology business of thyssenkrupp nucera. thyssenkrupp AG says that it intends to remain a committed shareholder of thyssenkrupp nucera and will retain a majority stake in the hydrogen technology provider while securing to create a liquid market for the shares of thyssenkrupp nucera following the completion of the IPO.

Werner Ponikwar, CEO of thyssenkrupp nucera said: “With our technology to produce green hydrogen we want to help shape the new era of sustainable energy use. Green hydrogen is a key factor for the decarbonization of the industry and thus the achievement of climate protection targets. Our technology produces green hydrogen on a large scale and supports our customers on their way to climate neutrality.”

SWEDEN

Ørsted breaks ground on e-methanol plant

Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted has started the construction of FlagshipONE, Europe’s largest e-methanol project. The ground breaking ceremony was held on 24 May in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in the presence of political and partner companies representatives. According to Ørsted, this marks the first step in a new green era of shipping, where large-scale methanol production facilities will supply a growing fleet of methanol-powered vessels, which currently counts 110 vessels on order or in operation, up from 80 vessels at the end of 2022.

FlagshipONE is located on the grounds of the biomass-fired combined heat and power plant Hörneborgsverket in Örnsköldsvik, operated by Övik Energi. The methanol from FlagshipONE will be produced using renewable electricity and biogenic carbon dioxide captured from Hörneborgsverket. In addition, the project will use steam, process water, and cooling water from Hörneborgsverket, and excess heat from the e-methanol production process will be delivered back to Övik Energi and integrated into their district heating supply.

Originally developed by Liquid Wind, FlagshipONE was acquired by Ørsted in December 2022 and the final investment decision (FID) was reached. Carbon Clean will supply the carbon capture equipment while the technology package for the facility will come from German company Siemens Energy. The package comprises four proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers with a total capacity of 70 megawatts (MW), as well as the plant-wide electrification and automation systems, including innovative digitalisation solutions (such as the use of digital twins), and the entire power distribution and compressor systems. Expected to become operational in 2025, FlagshipONE will produce around 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol each year.

Commenting on the ground breaking, Anders Nordstrøm, COO of Ørsted P2X, said: “FlagshipONE is a pioneering project that will open a new era for green shipping and for Ørsted. I’m very pleased that we’ve now started on-site construction together with other green fuel leaders from across the supply chain, and together with representatives from Örnsköldsvik, Västernorrlands Län and Sweden at large. FlagshipONE will be the first project in a new green industry in Sweden, which Ørsted intends to spearhead.”

FlagshipONE is the first e-methanol project in the company’s green fuel pipeline. It is also developing the 300,000 t/a ‘Project Star’ in the US Gulf Coast area and the ‘Green Fuels for Denmark’ project in Copenhagen.

MALAYSIA

Sarawak Methanol project to be onstream next year

The Sarawak Methanol project in Bintulu is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2024, according to a recent statement by Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh. In a reply at the State Legislative Assembly, the minister said that the project, under development by Sarawak Petchem Sdn Bhd, reached 90% completion in May. The Sarawak government, through the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is also developing the Petchem Industrial Park in Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu, covering around 1,000 acres, and aiming to serve as the main industrial area for the petrochemical industry in Sarawak. The methanol plant will also include a dedicated jetty to allow international tankers or ships to bring methanol to the market. It will have a capacity of 5,000 t/d (1.7 million t/a).

SAUDI ARABIA

NEOM awards contract for world’s largest hydrogen plant

Envision Energy says that it has signed a contract to supply 1.67 GW wind turbines with NEOM Green Hydrogen Co for the world’s largest utility-scale hydrogen plant powered entirely by renewable energy. The plant is located at Oxagon, in the NEOM development area of Saudi Arabia. Under the contract, Envision’s wind turbines will be installed and are expected to be fully operational by 2026.

“This contract represents a significant milestone for both our companies and the industry at large,” said Zhang Lei, CEO of Envision Energy. “We are proud to be associated with such an ambitious project that will pave the way for other companies to follow suit in pursuing sustainable initiatives.”

“We are extremely excited to collaborate with Envision on this groundbreaking project,” said Wolfgang Brand, Vice President of NEOM Green Hydrogen from Air Products. “This milestone demonstrates our shared commitment towards meeting sustainability objectives through project deliveries.”

NEOM Green Hydrogen Company aims to produce carbon-free hydrogen using solely renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power to produce up to 600 tonnes per day of carbon-free hydrogen by the end of 2026.