Honeywell UOP Ecofining process produces renewable naphtha with a reduced CO2 footprint compared to petroleum-based feedstocks
Honeywell to produce renewable naphtha as feedstock for plastics. (Credit: Honeywell)
Honeywell has introduced a new solution for producing renewable naphtha for petrochemical production, by leveraging its Honeywell UOP Ecofining technology.
According to the company, its new process facilitates the production of high yield naphtha from sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oil and animal fats.
Naphtha is a petrochemical feedstock, used in the production of plastics, specifically olefins that are building blocks for chemicals used in polyester and other packaging materials.
Traditionally derived from crude oil and natural gas condensates, naphtha can now be produced from renewable feedstocks.
Renewable naphtha produced from sustainable feeds is said to have a 50%-80% lower greenhouse gas footprint compared to petroleum feeds.
Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions vice president and general manager Ben Owens said: “We are actively engaged with customers to drive new technology adoption, as renewable petrochemical feedstocks have grown in interest as consumers prefer more bio-based products.
“We see renewable naphtha produced from the UOP Ecofining process as a proven solution available today to help petrochemical producers reduce the carbon footprint of their products compared to using petroleum-based feeds.”
Honeywell UOP has developed the Ecofining process in partnership with Italian oil and gas company Eni.
It has licensed 23 Ecofining units in 11 countries, processing 12 different types of renewable feedstocks.
The company has previously used its UOP Ecofining technology to produce Green Diesel and Green Jet fuel, before the introduction of renewable naphtha solutions.
The technology can be used to produce high yields of renewable naphtha as its principal product, based on the versatility and ability of the Ecofining design to produce different products.
For additional decarbonisation, the UOP Ecofining process for renewable naphtha can be combined with the Honeywell H2 Solutions portfolio.
The H2 Solutions portfolio includes renewable hydrogen supply, CO2 capture and sequestration, said the company.
Last month, Honeywell and large-scale plastic recycler Avangard Innovative have announced their plans to jointly build an advanced recycling plant in Texas, US.