Repsol has signed a technology license agreement that would allow the company to construct an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) plant.
The plant would be located in Repsol’s Industrial Complex in Puertollano (Spain) and would have an annual production capacity of at least 15 kt.
The agreement boosts up Repsol’s ambition to become a future producer of UHMWPE with robust and well-proven technology.
Signing this agreement enables Repsol to begin the project’s Conceptual Engineering Phase aiming to reach the Final Investment Decision in 2022.
UHMWPE is a highly differentiated material with high toughness, superior to that of steel, high impact resistance, and a self-lubricating capacity.
Numerous applications and multiple sectors use this type of polyethylene. The automotive industry uses it to manufacture battery separators for electric vehicles; in construction, for the manufacturing of high hardness plates; it can be used for medical applications, prostheses and medical implants or filters for dialysis, or even in aviation and other industrial sectors.
This agreement contributes to increasing the differentiation and competitiveness of Repsol’s product portfolio by manufacturing a product considered a priority to enhance the ethylene chain.