BASF, Linde in carbon capture linkup

Ludwigshafen, Germany – BASF and Linde-KCA-Dresden GmbH are to jointly market licenses and plants for the capture of carbon dioxide from fluegases. The cooperation will focus mainly on the Middle East region, where the demand for purified CO₂is increasing, for example to raise yields in crude oil production via enhanced oil recovery and in urea production.

The co-operation will combine Linde KCA’s expertise in the field of planning and building plants that separate and then compress CO₂from flue gases with BASF’s experience in capturing CO₂from gas flows. The chemicals maker already markets amine-based gas treatment process technology, which has been used in over 220 gas scrubbing facilities worldwide, mainly in natural gas and syngas facilities.

Under the agreement, BASF will be responsible for the chemical processes for capturing CO₂, while Linde KCA will provide engineering, design and construction of the facilities, according to Dr. Andreas Northemann, head of the gas treatment business in BASF’s Intermediates division.

“In a situation where energy production around the world relies predominantly on fossil materials and where this share is expected to increase further, we will concentrate precisely on these energy sources in our cooperation,” said Northemann;. “By pooling the two companies’ expertise we can provide our customers with integrated engineering solutions and even complete CO₂capture plants.”

“Through this cooperation we will contribute to capturing and transporting climate-damaging CO₂in a controlled manner for recycling in purified form or final sequestration,” added Linde KCA managing director Jörg Linsenmaier.