Syensqo, Shell Partner on Lower-Carbon Ethylene Oxide Solutions

Syensqo and Shell Chemicals Europe B.V. announced a collaboration to supply mass-balanced, lower-carbon ethylene oxide (EO)-based solutions for agricultural and industrial markets.

According to the announcement, Syensqo plans to introduce ethylene oxide-based products made with Shell Chemicals’ lower-carbon feedstocks, which reportedly can reduce the feedstocks’ carbon footprint by up to 51% compared with conventional ethylene oxide. The lower-carbon profile is enabled through carbon capture utilization credits using a mass-balance approach.

The companies said the products are verified under the ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification program and are designed as drop-in solutions that do not require reformulation or requalification. According to Syensqo, the products are intended to help customers lower the carbon footprint of their formulations while maintaining product performance, quality and supply reliability.

Syensqo said the agreement supports its One Planet initiative, which includes a goal to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions in selected categories by 25% by 2030 compared with 2021 levels. The company said the collaboration also highlights the role of raw material suppliers, ingredient producers and manufacturers in reducing value chain emissions.

The agreement follows other recent One Planet-related investments by Syensqo. Earlier this year, the company announced that its Saint-Fons site in France had been selected under the French government’s Major Industrial Decarbonization Projects program. 

According to Syensqo, the site will add a large electric boiler to replace two natural gas units, reducing CO2 emissions by about 22,000 metric tons per year. The project also includes a biomass boiler that is expected to begin producing low-carbon steam by the end of 2026.