In its first deal of the year, Italian specialty chemicals group Italmatch Chemical has acquired Eco Inhibitors, a Norwegian technology start-up that has developed a new generation of eco-friendly hydrate inhibitors for oil & gas applications. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Italmatch said the acquisition allows it to further consolidate its focus on R&D and sustainability, specifically expanding and refining its current product range as well as reaching new high added-value market targets.

“With Eco Inhibitors knowhow, we are proud to present to the market products with high environmental compatibility, in particular a class of inhibitors derived from recovered salmon waste that represents a perfect example of circular economy,” said Italmatch CEO Sergio Iorio, “The first game-changing green anti-agglomerant is the cutting edge technology that we are going to industrialize.”

Through its Advanced Water Solutions business unit, the Genoa-headquartered company will manufacture and commercialize three classes of low-dosage hydrate inhibitors for optimizing flow assurance in oil & gas deepwater production.

In December 2018, Italmatch agreed to buy BWA Water Additives, a UK provider of water management technologies for the oil & gas, industrial water treatment and desalination industries. The transaction was scheduled to complete in the first quarter of 2019.