KBR Acquires Acetic Acid Technology
US multinational engineering group KBR has acquired an acetic acid technology called Acetica for an undisclosed sum. The carbonylation technology, which was owned and originally developed by Japan’s Chiyoda, uses methanol and carbon monoxide to produce acetic acid.
KBR signed an agreement with Chiyoda in November 2014 to license the Acetica process. The Houston-headquartered group said the technology will enable the back-integration of CO2 from carbon capture to produce high-value chemicals such as vinyl acetate monomer.
Doug Kelly, KBR president, technology said: "KBR is continuing to expand its wide spectrum of sustainable technology solutions in the syngas and acetyls value chains. As the only independently available acetic acid technology in the global market today, KBR’s Acetica enables clients to monetize captured carbon through the production of sustainable high-value products used in our daily lives.
In separate news, KBR has also announced the launch of ScoreKlean, its proprietary technology that uses burners entirely fueled by hydrogen to achieve zero emissions from ethylene cracking furnaces.
KBR said ScoreKlean will play a major role in decarbonizing the petrochemical sector because the furnaces are the biggest source of the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
