OMV and Borealis Expand Partnership for Chemical Recycling at Schwechat

At a glance
  • OMV and Borealis have partnered since 1998 at the Schwechat site.
  • The ReOil pilot plant processes up to 100 kg of plastic waste per hour.
  • OMV has been exploring post-consumer plastics since 2011.
  • One more scale-up step is planned before reaching industrial-scale capacity.

Partnership History

The partnership between OMV and Borealis began in 1998, focusing on petrochemical integration at their shared industrial site in Schwechat, Austria. This site is one of Europe's largest integrated plastics production facilities.

ReOil Project

OMV and Borealis are advancing the chemical recycling of post-consumer plastics through the OMV ReOil innovation project. Borealis, a major polyolefin producer, has acquired two recycling companies to support its circular economy roadmap. OMV has been exploring post-consumer plastics since 2011 and is now scaling up the ReOil process.

ReOil Pilot Plant

The OMV ReOil pilot plant, fully integrated into the Schwechat refinery, processes up to 100 kilograms of plastic waste per hour, converting it into synthetic crude. This crude can be used as feedstock for the plastics industry or as fuel, promoting a resource-efficient circular economy. One more scale-up step is planned before reaching industrial-scale capacity.

Future Goals

OMV and Borealis aim to lead the petrochemicals and plastics industry in recycling post-consumer plastics, contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. They believe that plastic waste is a valuable resource that should be reused rather than discarded.