Siemens Energy and Technip Energies to Develop Decarbonized Rotating Olefins Cracker Technology
Technip Energies and Siemens Energy signed 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 offers driver flexibility, and when driven by electric-powered motors or hydrogen-fired gas turbines, the technology leads the path to decarbonize the process used to produce light olefins. The decarbonization impact is even more significant when the electric power or hydrogen fuel is derived from renewable sources. The ROC process, once fully commercialized, is also 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.
As a significant milestone in the commercialization of this ground-breaking technology, Technip Energies and Siemens Energy entered 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 selected the ROC technology after assessing many electricity-based heating technologies for olefin crackers.
“The ROC technology is a step-change in cracking technology that leads to a significant reduction in greenhouse gases when combined with clean energy sources,” said Stan Knez, Chief Technology Officer at Technip Energies. “This collaboration with Siemens Energy highlights our commitment to decarbonization, and we are delighted to have the ROC technology selected for the COF demonstration unit.”
“It is our ultimate goal to turn ideas into reality as we support our customers in transitioning to a more sustainable world,” said Thorbjörn Fors, Executive Vice President, Industrial Applications at Siemens Energy. “Engaging directly with major operators in the Cracker of the Future Consortium is a great opportunity to materialize this objective. Furthermore, by working together with our partner Technip Energies, we are taking an important step towards driving decarbonization forward.”
“The ROC technology is a new paradigm in chemical process technology, as heating hydrocarbon molecules by converting the molecular kinetic energy into heat so that that thermal cracking can occur, has never been done before,” said Walter Vermeiren, Chair of the Cracker of the Future Consortium. “The Cracker of the Future Consortium is delighted to cooperate with Siemens Energy and Technip Energies on this unique opportunity.”
