Our vision is to help our customers to convert various bio-based feedstocks, side streams or wastes into more valuable chemical intermediates or final products through our extensive understanding of pre-treatment of various feedstocks to meet the purities needed for example in catalytic processes and finally converting the intermediates into high quality products. 

One of the main challenges is the ability to convert more complex bio-based feedstocks in most cost effective ways or use it in novel industrial applications. We provide world class solutions to this challenge, for instance, our projects have included conversion of lignocellulosic feed into ethanol and further to higher alcohols such as butanol, pyrolysis and gasification processes. 

Our customers in this industry range from small start-up companies to large scale renewable diesel, renewable jet, oleochemical such as tall oil and pulping industry companies. Typical product application is often based on lignocellulosic feedstock, vegetable oils or animal fats.

We have accumulated vast experience in Crude Tall Oil (CTO) fractionation over the last 40 years in the Feedstock Processing industry. We are the global leading company focused on CTO fractionation process licensing, engineering and optimization. 

Neste’s proprietary NEXPINUS™ technology is licensed globally today. In the value and production chain, such CTO fractionation comes after soap extraction and Crude Sulphate Soap (CSS) acidulation. Typical scale of a single CTO fractionation unit is from 50 to 200 ktons CTO feedstock per annum.

The recent global interest in new bio-based feedstocks has also increased interest in Crude Sulphate Soap and Tall Oil fractionation processes, resulting in several new patents in the field. We have the newest industry insights, an end-to-end process concept, reliable and unbiased estimates and a solid partner network. Our technology enables optimal and flexible design based on a proprietary model with the possibility to evaluate future feedstocks.

The feedstock processes we co-developed, developed or verified are based on process modeling and simulation. For that purpose, we have a substantial range of in-house vapour-liquid data banks and programs for fitting the kinetics and equilibria. Modeling provides detailed understanding of the process and mitigation of risks at an early stage of the investment cycle. 

Our systematic approach for process development ensures efficient progress towards commercialization of new technologies. This means that our customers will enjoy earlier entry to the markets with new processes developed as in most cases large-scale and costly piloting is not needed. 

An additional benefit of simulation is that the process can be tailored for a wide range of feedstocks. A well known industry landmark project based on this type of simulation based technology commercialization and skipping the pilot is Neste’s NEXBTL^TM technology. The capacity of the first NEXBTL^TM unit was already 170 000 tpa.

Over 60 years in the Oil Refining industry has given us extensive knowledge and high expertise in various fields. We also have a successful track record in the Petrochemicals industry from the past 50 years. 

Our strengths are in demanding front-end studies, distillation technology, energy optimization, refinery integration, and complex turnarounds. We have the ability to deliver challenging projects safely, cost-effectively, meet high quality standards and significantly improve the performance of our customers’ existing or future plants.