Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) has said it is making a significant contribution in carbon capture and storage through initiatives such as the world’s largest CO2 purification plant at its manufacturing affiliate United in Jubail, Saudi Eastern Province.

Yousef Abdullah Al Benyan, acting vice-chairman and CEO, speaking at the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) in Riyadh, said:  Sabic recognises international concerns about climate change and that taking action is a priority.

“We are part of the solution because our products can help reduce CO2 emissions and help our customers to meet their sustainability goals,” he said.

“Taking action on greenhouse gas (GHG) makes business sense because operational energy and resource efficiency lowers operating costs and low carbon sustainable solutions provide lower risk growth opportunities.”

The plant compresses and purifies around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 per day from ethylene-glycol plants, which is then pipelined to Sabic affiliates for methanol and urea production. The plant is expected to save 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year, it said.

The CSLF is a ministerial-level international climate change initiative with 23 members that focuses on the development of improved cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of CO2 for its transport and long-term safe storage.

Sabic, Saudi Aramco, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia collaborated to host the sixth meeting of the CSLF last month.