California-based petroleum corporation, Chevron, has announced a Series C investment in a start-up that manufactures and develops carbonate aggregates with the help of carbon capture.

What are they doing?

The start-up, Blue Planet, is capturing CO2 from flue gas by contacting it with ammoniated water. That carbonated solution is then used to form a carbonate mineral coating over a small rock particle. The result is a synthetic limestone rock (which is the main component of concrete). Here's a basic process flow diagram if you're into that sort of thing.

Why is Chevron interested?

Chevron, like most petroleum companies, is looking to reduce its environmental impact by working towards net-zero emissions. Blue Planet's solution (which is similar to one we've seen before) doesn't require "CO2 purification and enrichment prior to use which can reduce cost and unit energy consumed during capture". That makes it an attractive investment for a company facing intensified pressure from investors to reduce emissions and provide more sustainable energy.

Read the press release here.

US-based EPC company, KBR, has been selected by process technology company, Mura Technology, as the exclusive licensing partner for Mura's proprietary chemical recycling method.

First, some background:

Mura has developed a technology that uses supercritical water to convert mixed plastic waste into a useful hydrocarbon product. The process depolymerizes plastic waste, splits the water molecules, and uses the available hydrogen to produce a mixture of hydrocarbons. That mixture can then be distilled into naphtha, distillate gas oil, heavy gas oil, or heavy wax residue (which can be upgraded into plastics or other chemicals).

What the agreement means:

Mura's technology has yet to be seen at full-scale—but that's set to change early next year. The process technology company can't build plants on its own, so it's bringing in KBR to handle the "studies, basic engineering, technical services, proprietary equipment and modules for the Cat-HTR technology.". Together the companies can approach manufacturing firms with a turnkey solution.

Read the press release here.

Specialized polymers company, Avient, has announced that it will be expanding its existing production capabilities for color concentrates at its Binh Duong site in Vietnam by next month.

Some context:

Avient, formerly known as PolyOne, changed its name last summer after acquiring Clariant's masterbatch business. The business it acquired from Clariant was known for offering color and additive concentrates for plastics. It's safe to say that Avient's announcement is the realization of that acquisition.

Going a little deeper:

The purpose of coloring plastics is to enhance the market appeal of those plastics, and as consumption grows "top brands focus on novel color solutions". The expansion will "improve speed-to-market and service level for local customers" in Vietnam (where the plastic industry is seeing an annual growth rate of 16-18%). While those colors are good for business, they can be a pain for plastic recyclers—just something to think about.

Read the press release here.