LyondellBasell awarded $4.5 million grant from DOE for energy innovations

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded LyondellBasell a $4.5 million grant for the development of technology to improve energy efficiency.

LyondellBasell will develop a catalyst-assisted technology to improve the energy efficiency of producing ethylene from ethane gas while emitting fewer greenhouse gases, according to a press release.

The grant was among 13 projects announced by the DOE, which will receive more than $54 million for initiatives aimed at increasing energy efficiency and reducing U.S. manufacturing costs.

"Access to low-cost ethane from shale gas over the past three years has changed the low competitive position of the U.S. chemical industry," said Tim Roberts, senior vice president of Olefins and Polyolefins. "We have an opportunity to further this advantage through greater energy efficiencies in our manufacturing processes. This grant helps to facilitate faster development of catalyst-assisted technology for ethane cracking."

During the next three years, LyondellBasell, in collaboration with Quantiam Technologies Inc. and BASF Qtech Inc., will develop the new energy-saving technology in a three-part program.

It will build upon earlier generation ethane and naphtha-fed catalytic coating technology for steam crackers developed by BASF Qtech by extending the benefits to ethane and natural gas liquid-fed steam crackers.

LyondellBasell has six steam-cracking units in the U.S. and can process ethane and natural gas liquids for up to 85 percent of its feedstocks. The estimated cost share for this project, in addition to the DOE grant, is $2.2 million, the press release stated.