Borealis, Infinium in CO2-based polymer deal

Austrian petrochemical company Borealis will manufacture polyolefins at its site in Porvoo, Finland using CO2-based "e-naphtha" produced by US by e-fuels firm Infinium.

Under the agreement, Infinium will ship "commercial" volumes of e-naphtha to Porvoo from its facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. The first shipment departed the US in May.

The e-naphtha is a "sustainable drop-in alternative" to fossil-based naphtha, the firms said. It will be processed in the same way to create polyolefins.

E-naphtha can be produced from CO2 from biogenic sources or from carbon capture at industrial facilities such as oil refineries. The e-naphtha feedstock will be tracked through the polymer production process under an ISCC+ certificate, which Infinium's Corpus Christi facility has received.

"Atmospheric carbon is a strategic element of the Borealis Circular Cascade approach to foster the transition toward greater circularity in plastics and carbon," said Borealis' vice-president of circular economy solutions Mirjam Mayer.

"It allows us to serve the needs of our customers while reducing their carbon footprints."

By Will Collins