Eni Initiates Approval for Priolo Biorefinery and Plastic Recycling Plant
- The Priolo biorefinery will produce 500,000 tonnes per year using residues, animal fats, and vegetable oils.
- Completion of the Priolo project is scheduled by the end of 2028.
- The Versalis Hoop® plant will process 40,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste annually, producing 32,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil.
- The Priolo facility will be the first industrial-scale plant using Hoop® technology.
Project Overview
Eni has initiated the Environmental Impact Assessment process to transform its Priolo site in Sicily into a biorefinery and chemical recycling plant. The Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has approved the application for this development.
Biorefinery Details
The new biorefinery will replace the existing Versalis ethylene plant and will have a production capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year. It will primarily use residues, animal fats, and vegetable oils. The facility will include an Ecofining™ plant, a biogenic feedstock pre-treatment unit, and a hydrogen production plant. Completion is expected by the end of 2028.
Chemical Recycling Plant
The Versalis Hoop® plant will employ proprietary technology for chemical recycling, focusing on the pyrolysis of mixed plastic packaging waste. It will process 40,000 tonnes annually, producing 32,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil. This facility will be the first industrial-scale plant using Hoop® technology, following a demo plant commissioned in Mantua in June 2025.
Technological Innovation
Hoop® technology, developed with S.R.S., offers high material recovery yields and flexibility in feedstock input. It combines a high-performance pyrolysis reactor with advanced polymer property measurement and process optimization using Artificial Intelligence.
Decarbonisation Goals
The transformation of the Priolo site aligns with Eni's decarbonisation objectives, as formalized in an agreement signed in March 2025 with the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
Source: Eni