TPC To License Process With UOP

TPC Group has agreed to make Honeywell’s UOP unit the exclusive licensor of TPC’s Oxo-D process for dehydrogenating n-butene into butadiene. The growing popularity of shale-based ethane over petroleum-derived naphtha as an ethylene cracker feedstock has squeezed supplies of coproduct butadiene, a key raw material for synthetic rubber. This has made chemical makers look to produce butadiene, on purpose, from butane and butene. TPC is an experienced practitioner of the process, which it has run on and off since the 1960s at its Houston plant. Linde and BASF recently said that they will develop their own on-purpose butadiene technology (C&EN, June 9, page 16).