Eni, an Italian multinational oil and gas company, and SABIC, a Saudi-based diversified manufacturing company, have signed a Joint Development Agreement to further develop an innovative natural gas conversion technology.

11Feb - Eni

Image: Eni and SABIC will jointly develop a technology for natural gas conversion. Photo: Courtesy of Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash.

The agreement between Eni and SABIC primarily focused on developing an innovative technology for Natural gas conversion into synthesis gas that can be further transformed into high value fuels and chemicals, such as methanol.

The partnership, among other activities is expected to involve the construction of an industrial demonstration plant that will be built and operated inside the Eni’s industrial premises.

The development project aims at advancing the technology, based on the Short Contact Time Catalytic Partial Oxidation of natural gas, to further sustain the Eni and SABIC business by using in a more efficient way the cleanest and lower GHG emission fossil fuel.

Following an intensive R&D period, Eni has initially developed this technology and was coupled with SABIC’s short contact time reactor R&D and the company’s extensive knowledge of the integration of synthesis gas generation into processes to produce derived chemicals.

The jointly developed technology is expected to be an innovative way of making synthesis gas and integration into high value applications to achieve lower CAPEX and OPEX, higher energy efficiency, lower CO2 footprint and wide feedstock flexibility.

Recently, Eni has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pertamina to investigate synergies of their respective technologies, expertises and know-how, for jointly evaluating new collaboration opportunities in the areas of circular economy.

Both the companies agreed to explore opportunities and discuss partnership in waste transformation processes and biomass valorization processes, along with leveraging Eni proprietary technologies such as Waste to fuel, Waste to hydrogen, Sewage sludge conversion into biomethane production by anaerobic digestion, advanced biofuels from biomass, Chemicals from biomass.

Besides, Eni and Pertamina are expected to discuss cooperation and business opportunities both in Indonesia and internationally in renewable projects. The two companies have also signed an agreement for a joint venture aiming at the construction of an add-on grassroots bio-Refinery in Indonesia.