Aramco, TotalEnergies, and SABIC have for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, successfully converted oil derived from plastic waste into circular polymers. The plastic pyrolysis oil, also called plastic waste derived oil (PDO), was processed at the SATORP refinery jointly owned by Aramco and TotalEnergies, in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. It was then used as a feedstock by PETROKEMYA, a SABIC affiliate, to produce certified circular polymers.
According to a press release from Aramco, the project aims to pave the way for the creation of a domestic value chain for the advanced recycling of plastics to circular polymers in Saudi Arabia. The process allows the use of non-sorted plastics, which can be difficult to recycle mechanically, which consequently contributes to solving the challenge of end-of-life plastics.
A first milestone for the project was obtaining ISCC+ certification to assure transparency and traceability of the recycled origin of feedstock and products. Three industrial plants were involved in the process: SATORP refinery, Aramco’s Ju’aymah NGL Fractionation Plant and PETROKEMYA. All successfully obtained the ISCC+ certification, enabling the production of circular materials.
Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco’s President of Downstream, said: “This achievement illustrates the importance of the petrochemical sector in creating more sustainable products and solutions. Our aim is to create circular solutions for plastic waste, while also making progress on our ambition to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions across our wholly-owned operated assets by 2050.”
Source: Oil & Gas Middle East