MUSCAT, JULY 8
Oman-based Al Baleed Petrochemical has announced its participation as a strategic partner in Carbeau, a newly established company commercialising a breakthrough CO₂-to-chemicals technology that the Omani firm aims to deploy at its ambitious Salalah Petrochemical Park.
Carbeau, launched earlier this week as a spin-out from Dutch sustainable technology company Avantium, is commercialising one of the world's most advanced electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion technologies. The company aims to transform captured CO₂ into high-value chemicals using renewable electricity, providing a commercially viable pathway to decarbonise the chemical industry while creating sustainable feedstocks for future manufacturing.
Alongside Al Baleed Petrochemical, Carbeau's founding partners and investors include GKT GmbH, an Austrian engineering and industrial process technology specialist, Invest-NL, the Netherlands' national promotional institution, NOM, the regional development agency for the Northern Netherlands and Avantium.
The technology's initial commercial products include glycolic acid, a specialty chemical used in personal care and industrial applications; and PLGA, a next-generation biodegradable polymer with significant commercial potential.
In a statement, Al Baleed Petrochemical said its investment reflects the company's long-term strategy to position Oman at the forefront of sustainable chemicals and carbon utilisation. As the developer of the Salalah Petrochemical Park, it is creating an integrated downstream chemicals hub that combines conventional petrochemical production with next-generation low-carbon technologies.
According to the company, Salalah is a strong candidate for the first commercial-scale deployment of Carbeau's technology outside Europe. The governorate's abundant solar resources, expanding renewable energy programme, established industrial and export infrastructure; and the integrated Salalah Petrochemical Park provide favourable conditions for converting captured CO₂ into value-added chemicals, supporting both industrial decarbonisation and the circular carbon economy.
"We believe the future of the chemical industry lies in transforming carbon emissions into valuable products", said Eng Saeed al Shanfari, Managing Director of Al Baleed Petrochemical. "Oman's strategic location, abundant solar resources and industrial ambitions make Salalah an ideal destination for commercialising this breakthrough technology. Our vision is to establish one of the world's first commercial CO₂-to-chemicals plants in Salalah, creating a new sustainable chemical value chain for the region".
The Salalah Petrochemical Park is being developed as an integrated downstream chemicals complex that will convert locally available LPG, methanol and ammonia into a range of higher-value petrochemical products. The first phase is expected to include Oman's first Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) plant to produce propylene, alongside facilities manufacturing maleic anhydride, acetic acid, formic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
The park is also designed to accommodate emerging carbon utilisation technologies, including projects that convert captured CO₂ into value-added chemicals. By integrating conventional petrochemicals with low-carbon manufacturing, the complex aims to strengthen Oman's downstream chemicals sector, expand exports, reduce dependence on imported specialty chemicals and advance the country's industrial diversification goals under Oman Vision 2040.
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