Global Bioenergies (Evry, France; www.global-bioenergies.com) and Cristal Union have announced that their subsidiary, IBN-One has awarded the first engineering contracts for its bio-isobutene plant to Technip (Paris, France; www.technip.com) and IPSB.
Following a consultation process by IBN-One in spring 2016, the initial engineering work contract has been awarded to a consortium that includes Technip and IPSB, an engineering firm specializing in sugar and biotechnologies. This first front-end engineering design (FEED) phase will run for 12 months and precedes the detailed engineering studies for the plant’s construction.
Alain François, Managing Director of Technip Lyon with responsibility for bio-sourced industries, said: “We are delighted to have been selected with IPSB by IBN-One to manage the project and conduct the studies for the downstream part of the process, namely the purification of bio-isobutene. Global Bioenergies’ bio-isobutene production technology is a breakthrough innovation. This project demonstrates the industrial potential of bio-sourced chemicals, for which Technip’s experience in complex project engineering provides added value.”
Franck Launay, Chairman of IPSB, added: “We will be responsible for the engineering of the plant’s upstream segment, dedicated to the intake of the raw material from the neighboring sugar mill and its conversion into bio-isobutene by a process of fermentation. We are proud to be part of this project and to contribute to establishing a bridge between renewable resources and major petrochemical markets.”
Bernard Chaud, Chairman and CEO of IBN-One and Director of Industrial Strategy of Global Bioenergies concluded: “IBN-One is the project owner of the first plant to use Global Bioenergies’ isobutene technology. During this phase, engineers will specify the design of the equipment and the connections between the plant’s different subunits, as well as its integration at a Cristal Union sugar beet site. Leaders in their respective fields, Technip and IPSB provide two key and complementary areas of expertise to advance the project.”
The contracts for the second phase, comprising the detailed engineering studies, will be awarded at a later date. Construction is then expected to commence early in 2018.