Linde and BASF intend to jointly develop on-purpose butadiene technology  

The Linde Group (Pullach, Germany; www.linde.com) and BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) intend to cooperate in developing and licensing processes for the on-purpose production of linear butenes and butadiene. BASF has developed process technology and catalysts as well as the extraction technologies, while Linde is providing its expertise for the integration, optimization and commercialization of the process. The new process will deliver an on-purpose route from butane to butadiene via butenes. Currently, the industry relies mainly on butadiene as a co-product from naphtha-cracking to ethylene. The shift to lighter cracker feedstock results in reduced volumes of co-products. Therefore the on-purpose production of higher olefins is gaining more and more importance. “The new BASF technology is currently being developed by mini plant and pilot plant operation in Ludwigshafen”, says Heinrich-Josef Blankertz, senior vice president Global Technology, of BASF’s Petrochemicals division. “We are optimistic that we can offer a new best-in-class technology for the manufacturing of on-purpose butadiene to help producers meet the increasing global demand.” “We focus on elaborating a solution that provides…