December 21, 2023
Diverse Resources saving/ Resources circulation
Construction of a biomass PTA supply chain by Idemitsu Kosan, OPTC, and Marubeni - Contributing to the conversion of PET resin, which is the raw material for plastic bottles, to biomass -
Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd.
Oriental Petrochemical (Taiwan) Co., Ltd.
Marubeni Corporation
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Idemitsu Kosan"), Oriental Petrochemical (Taiwan) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "OPTC"), and Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Marubeni") are companies that use plant-derived materials. The two companies have agreed to establish a supply chain for biomass high-purity terephthalic acid (*1) (hereinafter referred to as "biomass PTA"), which uses biomass naphtha as a raw material.
Production of biomass PTA is scheduled to begin in 2024 in Taiwan. This is the first time that biomass PTA has been manufactured in Taiwan.
Supply chain diagram for this project
Supply chain diagram for this project
Supply chain diagram for this project
In this supply chain, Idemitsu Kosan will manufacture biomass paraxylene (*3) (hereinafter referred to as "biomass PX") from biomass naphtha using the mass balance method (*2). OPTC, a PTA manufacturer and a group company of Far Eastern New Century Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of PET resin, will manufacture biomass PTA using biomass PX as a raw material. Marubeni will be responsible for overall management of supply chain construction and marketing of biomass products.
PET resin is a plastic that is used as a raw material for plastic bottles, etc., and is composed of approximately 70% PTA and 30% ethylene glycol. By using biomass PTA and biomass ethylene glycol, it is possible to produce 100% biomass-derived PET resin. Biomass ethylene glycol is being manufactured from biomass ethanol, which is already widely available, as a raw material, but converting PTA into biomass has been an issue.
In this supply chain, by converting PX, the raw material for PTA, into biomass, we will solve the problem of converting PET resin into biomass and contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.
Because biomass naphtha is manufactured from plant-based raw materials, it is possible to reduce CO₂ emissions compared to petroleum-based naphtha. Biomass PX derived from biomass naphtha produced by Idemitsu Kosan has obtained the international certification "ISCC PLUS Certification" (*4), which certifies that it is a sustainable product. OPTC also plans to obtain "ISCC PLUS certification" in 2024.
Through the newly constructed supply chain, the three companies will contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions in the plastics industry and quickly realizing a low-carbon society.
(*1) High purity terephthalic acid (PTA): An aromatic carboxylic acid. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is made by reacting PTA (about 70%) and ethylene glycol (about 30%). PET resin is a raw material for polyester fiber and plastic bottle resin.
(*2) Mass balance method: In the processing and distribution process from raw materials to products, when raw materials with certain characteristics (e.g. biomass-derived raw materials) are mixed with raw materials without such characteristics (e.g. petroleum-derived raw materials), A method of assigning characteristics to a part of a product depending on the input amount of raw materials with those characteristics. In the chemical industry, where products go through multiple production processes, the mass balance method is considered an effective means of promoting biomass in the supply chain.
(*3) Paraxylene (PX): An aromatic hydrocarbon. It is used as a raw material for high-purity terephthalic acid (PTA), which is a raw material for polyester fiber and plastic bottle resin.
(*4) ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certification: Adoption of the mass balance method, an international system that manages and guarantees the supply chain of products using sustainable raw materials such as biomass, is approved.
<Idemitsu Kosan Overview>
- Company Name
- Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd.
- Head office location
- 1-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Establishment
- 1940 (founding year: 1911)
- representative
- Shunichi Kito
- Business details
- We operate globally in fields such as Petroleum, petrochemicals, lubricants, electronic materials, electric Power/renewable energy, oil and gas development, and coal.
- website
- https://www.idemitsu.com/jp/
<OPTC Overview>
- Company Name
- Oriental Petrochemical Taiwan Co., Ltd.
- Head office location
- 47, Jianjian 4th Road, Guanyin Industrial District, Guanyin District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Establishment
- 1987
- representative
- Eric Chueh
- Business details
- OPTC, which has the largest PTA manufacturing capacity in Taiwan, is a member of the Far Eastern New Century Group (FENC Group) and plays a central role in the group's petrochemical division. FENC Group is one of Taiwan's leading conglomerate companies, with diversified businesses including petrochemicals, synthetic fibers, textiles, apparel, cement, hotels, and finance.
- website
- http://pta-trade.com.tw/product.htm
<Marubeni Overview>
- Company Name
- Marubeni Corporation
- Head office location
- 1-4-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Establishment
- 1949
- representative
- Masumi Kakinoki
- Business details
- Lifestyle, information solutions, food, agribusiness, forest products, chemicals, metals, energy, power, infrastructure projects, aviation/shipping, finance/leasing/real estate, construction machinery/industrial machinery/mobility, next-generation business development, next Multifaceted business activities include generation corporate development, import/export (including foreign transactions), domestic transactions, various service operations, domestic and foreign business investment, and Resources development in other fields.
- website
- https://www.marubeni.com/jp/
Regarding news release
contact information
Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. Public Relations Department Public Relations Division