SIBUR-Neftekhim and Linde Gas Rus (both located in Dzerzhinsk, Russia) signed an agreement to launch a recycling project focusing on the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated as a by-product at SIBUR’s facility. The project is an integral part of SIBUR’s sustainable development strategy aiming to reduce GHG emissions by 15% by 20205, and as such it is expected to mitigate the impact of petrochemical production on the air quality.
The signing ceremony was attended by Evgeny Lyulin, Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Assembly, and Ivan Noskov, head of the Dzerzhinsk Municipal District, as part of their working visit to the facilities.
As part of the project, SIBUR-Neftekhim will erect the necessary infrastructure to transport crude CO2, a by-product resulting from ethylene oxide synthesis, to Linde Gas Rus’ treatment unit. In its turn, Linde Gas Rus will build a gas treatment unit to process it into a commercial-grade product usable in the food industry in particular and sell it to end consumers. The new arrangement will help recycle approximately 25 kt of 100% carbon dioxide annually. All the works, including those planned for SIBUR’s production facility, will be performed by Linde Gas Rus under an EPC contract. The project is scheduled for 2021–2022.
“We evaluate each project from both economic and environmental points of view,” said Dmitry Vladimirov, CEO of SIBUR-Neftekhim. “This project gives us an opportunity to pursue more ambitious GHG reduction goals, thus making a significant contribution to our Sustainable Development Strategy, and to monetise the CO2 emissions that were previously released into the atmosphere.”
“We are happy to develop our long-term partnership with SIBUR-Neftekhim in line with our shared values and sustainability goals. Our objective is to reduce the GHG emission intensity by 35% by 2028. Additionally, we make every effort to help our customers improve their environmental performance and reduce their carbon footprint by leveraging our gas technologies,” said Sergio Bosio, Head of Linde in Russia and Kazakhstan.
“This agreement represents an important milestone in developing the region’s economy. I am proud that by implementing the project our industry majors demonstrate responsibility towards the environment and their willingness to address environmental issues. With that project, the carbon dioxide released by ethylene oxide manufacturing units will not go into the atmosphere, but will be delivered to the Linde Gas Rus plant to be further used in production. The creation of a new facility is always a sign of resurgence in business activity and positive changes in the regional economy, which starts to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Evgeny Lyulin, Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Assembly.
“SIBUR has proved to be a long-standing and reliable partner of Dzerzhinsk. The Company promotes our city’s development by running social projects in the realms of volunteering, culture, and education, including entrepreneurial literacy. The project presented today addresses the environmental aspect, which is yet another pressing issue for Dzerzhinsk. We have embarked on an important mission: by taking care of the environment, we contribute to building the sustainable future for Dzerzhinsk, the city where our children and grandchildren will live and work. I have no doubt that the carbon dioxide recycling project will be implemented. Going further, SIBUR will come up with many other exciting initiatives for the benefit of the city and its residents,” commented Ivan Noskov, head of the Dzerzhinsk Municipal District.