Clariant's OleMax™ 260 catalyst delivers strong performance for EQUATE Petrochemical Company

• Clariant’s innovative OleMax 260 catalyst provides smooth startup and successful operations for world-scale steam cracker in Shuaiba, Kuwait
• EQUATE is the first ethylene producer to adopt OleMax 260 in the Middle East
• Clariant continuously supports the seamless transition by providing ongoing catalyst training and monitoring with CLARITY^™ digital solutions

MUNICH, July 25, 2024 - Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, announced today marks a milestone with the one-year successful operation of its novel OleMax 260 catalyst at EQUATE Petrochemical Company’s world-scale steam cracker in Kuwait.

EQUATE is leading the way as the first Middle East ethylene producer to adopt OleMax 260 catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene. With new steam cracker projects driving capacity growth in the Middle East, the smooth startup and successful operations in Kuwait demonstrate the value of innovative catalysts for mitigating risk and maximizing performance in this industry.

Clariant launched its game changing OleMax 260 catalyst in 2016, and ethylene producers globally are quickly adopting it to address longstanding operational challenges associated with ‘front-end’ plant configurations. The novel catalyst represents a breakthrough for these plants that struggle with difficult start-ups and operations, and it greatly reduces the risk of thermal runaway reactions, unplanned downtime, and flaring incidents. By driving exceptional selectivity and stability even at low CO conditions, OleMax 260 empowers plant operators to improve productivity, profitability, safety, and sustainability.

"We are thrilled to celebrate this important first year milestone with EQUATE," said Gene Mueller, Head of Ethylene at Clariant Catalysts. "With OleMax 260 delivering outstanding performance and superior technical service expertise driving ongoing improvements, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with EQUATE for many more successful years in Kuwait.”

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