SIBUR’s speciality chemical tech used in premium basic polymer production goes international

12 January 2022. SIBUR has partnered with the global engineering company Technip Energies to licence out its technology for producing 1-hexene, a co-monomer used to make LLDPE and HDPE. The technology, known as HEXSIB, was developed by NIOST - one of SIBUR's main R&D centres.

1-Hexene can be used to make LLDPE and HDPE and is an essential component of speciality polyethylene grades that offer premium quality and boast much better properties than commodity grades. For example, 1-hexene helps reduce the amount of plastic used in each end product and lower the environmental footprint by providing the same barrier properties to a thinner film.

The partnership between SIBUR and Technip Energies is expected to produce licence agreements with international polyolefin makers and seeks to integrate the former's technology into complex design solutions to build new manufacturing capacities for advanced polyethylene grades.

"The agreement with Technip allows to strengthen engineering platform of the Sibur's technology and gives the opportunity to promote it through Technip's partner network," said Darya Borisova, a member of Sibur's management board and head of R&D. "Sibur is currently selecting a site within the group's range of facilities for production of hexene-1 with the HEXSIB technology to satisfy its own and market needs as the company expands its portfolio of high value grades and share of co-monomers".

In terms of technical and economic parameters, SIBUR's technology is on par with or even better than global benchmarks. For example, the HEXSIB process requires milder conditions when it comes to temperature and pressure. Coupled with the use of less capital-intensive equipment, it ensures high energy efficiency and low feedstock consumption compared to alternatives. Furthermore, unlike some of the already available international technologies used to make a variety of co-monomers, HEXSIB produces polymer-grade hexene at a high selectivity, minimising the output of other olefins.

"We are very proud to promote this relevant and reliable technology," says Stan Knez, Technip's Senior Vice President, Process Technology. "It yields a quality product that can be used at existing polyethylene facilities. SIBUR's HEXSIB improves carbon efficiency and creates opportunities for efficient polymer production."