Petrochemicals
enterpriseTarget: Oil refinery
If you are an oil refinery dealing with massive carbon emissions — this project developed an integrated capture and conversion system that can potentially capture 6.45 Mt of CO2 by 2040.
ICO2NIC · Project
Turning Industrial CO2 Waste into Profitable Chemicals and Animal Feed
environmentTestedTRL 5
Imagine a giant vacuum that sucks up pollution from a factory chimney and turns it into a liquid. This liquid is then used as food for tiny microbes that create high-value oils and materials. It is like turning smog into a useful raw material for making products we use every day.
By the numbers
6.45 Mt
CO2 capture from TUPRAS refineries by 2040
75 Mtpa
Potential CO2 capture in EU refinery sector long-term
The business problem
What needed solving
Industrial emitters face high costs for carbon capture and lack profitable ways to use the captured CO2. Current methods often rely on subsidies rather than market-driven revenue.
The solution
What was built
An integrated system combining polymer membrane CO2 capture, an electrochemical cell for formic acid production, and biological processing for high-value materials.
Audience
Who needs this
Oil refinery operatorsChemical feedstock suppliersAquaculture feed manufacturersIndustrial CO2 emitters
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Consumer Goods
enterpriseTarget: Chemical manufacturer
If you are a manufacturer dealing with high raw material costs for chemicals — this project developed a way to turn waste CO2 into formic acid and other versatile feedstocks.
Aquaculture
anyTarget: Animal feed producer
If you are a feed producer dealing with unsustainable ingredient sourcing — this project developed a biological processing route to create microbial oil for aquaculture feeds.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
How does this project address the cost of carbon capture?
The project aims to make carbon capture and utilization profitable by creating a viable economic model that does not require external financial aid. Based on available project data, it uses a complete value chain to ensure cost efficiency.
What is the industrial scale of the proposed solution?
The project targets the capture of 6.45 Mt of CO2 from TUPRAS refineries by 2040, with a long-term goal of capturing up to 75 Mtpa CO2 across the EU refinery sector.
How is the intellectual property or licensing handled?
Based on available project data, the project involves a consortium of 13 partners including 8 industry players, but specific licensing terms are not detailed in the objective.
How will the system be integrated into existing plants?
Integration is supported by digital monitoring and control systems and a robust process design developed by SINTEF to ensure scalability in petrochemical refineries.
What is the timeline for the development phase?
The project is scheduled to run from 2025-01-01 to 2028-12-31.
Consortium
Who built it
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 62% industry ratio, comprising 8 industrial partners and 6 SMEs. This strong commercial presence, including end-users like P&G and TUPRAS, suggests the project is focused on market viability and industrial integration rather than academic theory.
How to reach the team
Contact SINTEF AS in Norway for technical and coordination details.
Next steps
Talk to the team behind this work.
Contact us to explore partnership opportunities with the ICO2NIC industrial value chain.
More in Environment & Climate
See all Environment & Climate projects →