Cepsa to stay in chemicals

Spanish energy giant Cepsa has decided to retain its Chemicals division, Cepsa Química, after completing a strategic review of options. Following an announcement in November 2021 that Cepsa Química would have greater operational autonomy, the division is now “delivering strong operational and financial performance”, the company said.

Under the ‘Positive Motion’ strategy, Cepsa Química will also execute a green transition programme with support from Cepsa, which has recently announced plans to invest up to E8 billion in sustainable energy in Spain and Portugal in the coming decade. About 60% of this will be in Andalucia. As well as energy, Cepsa operates across the entire oil, chemical and gas value chain.

Last month, Cepsa Química had introduced the first products in its new line of sustainable chemicals. Both are derived from biomass and contain at least 68% sustainable or alternative carbon sources using the mass balance approach, with equivalent performance to existing products based on fossil sources. These are

* NextLAB, a fossil-free linear alkylbenzene for use in the biodegradable household laundry and cleaning products; and

* NextPhenol, which will replace phenol in automotive, construction and pharmaceutical applications

The two product lines are currently being produced at sites in Cádiz and Huelva, Spain, and Shanghai. These have been certified according to the ISCC Plus standard, which focuses on the sustainability and traceability of recycled materials, waste products and biomass for the production of recyclable plastics and chemical raw materials.