Oxy, Cemvita Piloting Bio-Ethylene Process to Reduce CO2, Compete with Hydrocarbon Feedstocks
A unit of Occidental Petroleum Corp. (Oxy) is partnering in a pilot project that could produce 1 metric tons/month of ethylene using human-made carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of hydrocarbon feedstocks like natural gas and oil.
Houston-based Cemvita Factory, a bio-engineering start-up, is working with Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV) on the bio-ethylene pilot facility, which could be up and running in 2022. The test facility would rely on a process developed by the partners in laboratory tests. Initial testing indicated the facility could be competitive with hydrocarbon-sourced ethylene processes.
Oxy, Partners Take Another Step to Advance Permian Carbon Capture Project
Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s vision to yank carbon emissions from the atmosphere in its top development, the Permian Basin, took a giant step forward Tuesday with the first engineering phase given the green light.
Australia’s Worley Ltd. was awarded the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for the first of four phases of the direct air capture (DAC) facility planned for West Texas. When complete, the facility would be capable of extracting 1 million metric tons/year (mmty) of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
The initial train, DAC 1, would represent the first commercial scale development to pull CO2 from the atmosphere. Oxy, as it is better known, is partnering with developer 1PointFive Inc. through Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC and with funding from Rusheen Capital Management LLC.