Eni and SABIC today signed a Joint Development Agreement to further develop 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 will involve, among other activities, the construction of an Industrial Demonstration Plant that will be built and operated inside an Eni industrial premises.  The development project will advance the technology, which is based on the Short Contact Time Catalytic Partial Oxidation (SCT-CPO) 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.

This technology was initially developed by Eni after an intensive R&D period. This 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. With this agreement, Eni and SABIC will be able to leverage world class R&D and operational experience to enable the success of the project.

The joint technology will be a truly 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.

The agreement was signed by Fahad Al-Sherehy, Acting, Executive Vice President Technology and Innovation (SABIC), Giuseppe Tannoia, Executive Vice President Research & Development (Eni), and Giacomo Rispoli, Executive Vice President Licensing & Supply (Eni).