Base chemicals
Borealis can supply a broad range of innovative and high-quality base chemicals
Borealis sources basic feedstocks such as naphtha, butane, propane and ethane from the oil and gas industry and converts these into ethylene and propylene through its olefin units. Steam crackers in Finland, Sweden, and Abu Dhabi, the latter operated by Borouge, produce both ethylene and propylene, while propylene is also produced in a propane dehydrogenation plant in Kallo, Belgium. Feedstock and olefins required for Borealis and Borouge plants are either sourced from its owners or purchased from the markets. A range of co-products from the steam cracking process, including pygas and butadiene are also sold to international markets.
Supplying the right hydrocarbons – right when you need them
As a reliable and experienced supplier, we can ensure targeted and timely delivery of high-quality base chemicals to our international partners and customers. Thanks to our flexible production capacity, we can react quickly to changing market conditions. Our well-developed logistics supply chain means that we can provide hydrocarbons by way of the pipeline, rail car and sea-going vessel.
Produced in our state-of art manufacturing plants
We source basic feedstocks such as naphtha, butane, propane and ethane from the oil and gas industry and convert these into ethylene and propylene through our olefin units. Our propane dehydrogenation plant and two steam crackers produce mainly ethylene and propylene (polymer and chemical grade). A range of co-products from the steam cracking process, including pyrolysis gasoline (benzene), butylenes (raffinate 1) and butadiene and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), are also sold to international markets.
- Our steam cracker in Stenungsund, Sweden is one of the most flexible in Europe, using naphtha, ethane, propane and butane as feedstock.
- Our steam cracker in Porvoo, Finland is part of a highly integrated petrochemical complex.
- Our propane dehydrogenation plant in Antwerp, Belgium, enables dedicated production of polymer grade propylene. Closely linked to Antwerp Gas Terminal, these facilities can accommodate large sea-going vessels and rail tank cars.
- Our extensive feedstock storage capability means more flexibility in production. The majority of our feedstock originates from refineries and gas treatment plants around the North Sea basin. We also physically source electricity and natural gas, with the latter used both as a feedstock for our fertilizer business and as a utility.
- Monomer supplies to Burghausen, Germany and Schwechat, Austria are mainly sourced from nearby OMV production plants, but are also imported by rail tank cars to both locations.
- Thanks to the convenient location of our monomer production and consumption plants, we have access to major ethylene and propylene pipeline grids in the ARA (Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Antwerp) region and in Germany, including the ARG (Aethylen-Rohrleitungs-Gesellschaft) and the EPS (Ethylen-Pipeline-Süd) networks.
