Ethylene, propylene, and aromatics will drive future petrochemical growth, fuelled by global wealth and increased demand for consumer goods. India reflects this trend, with significant potential to reduce its 34% polymer import dependency (2016–17, Indian Petrochemical Industry Report) and meet rising domestic demand. India’s per capita plastic consumption has grown from 5.5 kg in 2010 to 15 kg in
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Isomerisation
Hydrogenation
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Hydro- formylation
Reductive amination
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+ NHR R + H , – H O
+ CO/H
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A l dol condensation
– H O
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Figure 2 Hydroformylation process plays a unique role in obtaining various types of functionalised products used widely in many industries
petrochemicals production offers a strategic pathway to enhance margins, improve crude flexibility, and align with emerging market requirements and sustainability targets. Among the various processes used in petrochemicals integration with refining, hydroformylation stands out as a unique and versatile technology, enabling the production of value-added oxo-alcohols and chemical intermediates essential for plastics, coatings, and specialty materials. This article discusses the emerging role of hydroformylation and highlights how this process supports the transition toward a future-ready, high-value, low-carbon refining- petrochemical ecosystem. Integration of petrochemicals with refining The simultaneous decline in transportation fuel demand and rising demand for petrochemicals presents a structural challenge for refiners. Reduced fuel demand leads to overcapacity, while remaining assets must be reconfigured to maximise production of jet fuel, light olefins, and other high-value intermediates essential for evolving market needs.
2021, yet remains well below levels of the US (109 kg), EU (65 kg), and China (45 kg), underscoring growth opportunities.2 To capture this demand and support the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has entered the petrochemical sector through its Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP) at Kochi Refinery – the first in India to produce acrylic acid, acrylates, and oxo-alcohols at scale. The PDPP plant features advanced technology, including the world’s largest single-reactor acrylic acid unit (160 KTPA, licensed by Air Liquide Global E & C Solutions, Germany). In this evolving landscape, hydroformylation is a pivotal process, enabling the conversion of olefins, particularly propylene, into oxo-alcohols – key intermediates across industries. As refiners integrate more deeply with petrochemicals, hydroformylation emerges as a vital technology for flexible, high-margin, and future-ready refining operations. Industrial journey of hydroformylation process The hydroformylation reaction, discovered in 1938 by German chemist Dr. Otto Roelen
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Market share of various oxo-derivatives
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Esters 2-Ethylhexanol Fatty alcohols Propionic acid Pyridine derivatives n-Butanol Polyvinyl butyral n-Propanol Trimethylolethane Butyric acid
n-Butyraldehyde
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Neopentyl glycol
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O O
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Figure 3 Industrial applications for large-volume chemicals production using hydroformylation
Refining India
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