Technip Energies and Siemens Energy announce an exclusive agreement to jointly develop, commercialize and license the Rotating Olefins Cracker (ROC) technology to decarbonize olefin production processes. The ROC technology employs a dynamic reactor system that replaces conventional furnaces used for pyrolysis when manufacturing light olefins – the building blocks for chemical products used in everyday materials, from packaging to polymers.
The ROC technology reportedly offers driver flexibility, and when driven by electric-powered motors or hydrogen-fired gas turbines, the technology decarbonizes the light olefin production processes. The decarbonization impact is even more significant when the electric power or hydrogen fuel is derived from renewable sources, according to the companies. The ROC process, once fully commercialized, is reportedly expected to have better first pass olefins yields with similar operating costs compared to the currently commercially available technologies.
The companies have already validated the fundamentals of the reactor technology in laboratory testing and intend for the first turbomachinery prototype to enter shop testing in the first half of 2022. Both companies bring specialized experience to commercializing this technology: Siemens Energy contributes its expertise in turbomachinery, while Technip Energies has extensive knowledge in pyrolysis cracking to produce light olefins and process integration.
Technip Energies and Siemens Energy enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cracker of the Future Consortium (COF). The MOU expresses the intent of the parties to negotiate a contract to install a hydrocarbon demonstration unit utilizing the ROC technology in a plant operated by one of the COF members. The COF comprises major industry players Borealis (member of the OMV Group), BP, Repsol, TotalEnergies SE, Versalis (Eni) and coordinator Brightlands Chemelot Campus. The COF reportedly selected the ROC technology after assessing many electricity-based heating technologies for olefin crackers.
For more information, visit: www.siemens-energy.com
