Moving to net-zero emissions
Many end products made from chemicals can help tackle climate change. But the industrial process used to make the chemicals creates a lot of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Our ambition at Shell is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner, and chemicals has a part to play. We are looking at four main areas in our production: Firstly, each of our chemical plants is improving energy efficiency, through investing in things like heat and gas recovery systems, hybrid boilers and new catalysts. Secondly, our production sites are increasingly using lower-carbon energy sources, which Shell’s New Energies business is playing a leading role in developing. Thirdly, we are exploring carbon capture and storage (CCS) options, to capture the CO2 emissions our facilities produce. And lastly, we are developing alternative feedstocks for making our chemicals, such as biomass and plastic waste
Click to see some recent announcements
Tackling plastic waste
Plastic end products bring important benefits to society - helping to improve living standards, hygiene and nutrition. But we also need to tackle the issue of plastic waste in the oceans and environment. Dealing with unmanaged plastic waste requires action and innovation and we are responding in two main ways. Firstly, we are developing new technology to use plastic waste as an alternative feedstock to make our chemicals. We are making good progress towards our ambition to use 1 million tonnes of plastic waste every year in our facilities by 2025. Secondly, we are a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. This is a non-profit organisation that seed-funds and incubates projects so that they can scale up for bigger investment and impact.
How we are making chemicals from plastic waste
Title: Shell Plastics Video
Duration: 1:23 minutes
Description:
Video showing how Shell is using plastic waste to create a valuable base chemical for feedstock.
Shell is working with companies in the U.S. to source plastic waste and using a process called pyrolysis, is turning this waste into an oil that will be used to create a feedstock for future products.
Shell Plastics Video Transcript
[Background music plays]
Shell music bed from Creative Hub: Inspiring_Confident_A_Main_Track
[Video Sequence]
Combination of stock videos that support the recycling, plastic waste messaging as well as owned video footage of Norco Facility and Nexus Fuels facility.
[Text displays]
Shell.com
[Transcript]
What if plastic waste could be turned into something valuable?
And used to make things like smartphones. Furniture. Appliances.
Shell is teaming up with innovative companies to take plastic waste
And transform it into chemicals that help make everyday products
This is a reality today
And by 2025, we hope to use 1 million tonnes of plastic waste per year in our global chemical plants
Just another way we are Powering Progress. Together.
Supporting our neighbours
Making chemicals is an industrial process, but it is also a people business. The people who work at our chemical plants also belong to local communities. We talk with and listen to our neighbours through community panels, open days, newsletters and social media. We employ local businesses in our supply chains. We inspire local school children to be the scientists and engineers of tomorrow, and we work with local students to boost their skills and confidence for employment. And we are proud to support emergency services and first responders, to partner on local environmental projects and to volunteer to raise money or awareness for local causes.
Shell in the community
Shell in the community Video
Duration: 1:08
Description:
Shell is active in the local communities where we operate. From partnering with local schools and having good dialogue with our neighbors to supporting emergency services, Shell cares about our neighborhood and environment.
Shell in the community Video Transcript
[Background Music]
Uplifting background music plays
Shell employees work at the Geismar facility in Louisiana.
[Voice-Over]
You know what’s really important to us at Shell?
An overhead drone shot of a fun run in Washington, USA transitions to a Shell employee in Germany showing school kids how a piece of technology operates.
[Text]
Anacortes, WA, USA
Cologne, Germany
LOCAL COMMUNITIES
[Voice-Over]
Being a part of the local communities where we operate.
Time-lapse of an outdoor science fair and exhibit in Cologne, Germany.
Transition to a yellow background with white type, along with inset videos and photos of Shell employees in the community.
[Text]
SO WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN?
[Voice-Over]
So…what does that really mean?
[Text]
Cologne, Germany
WE FOSTER HONEST, TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE
Shell employees sit at a conference table and speak with a panel of local officials and representatives.
Cut to an outdoor concert Shell sponsors in Germany.
[Voice-Over]
It means the people at our manufacturing sites foster honest, transparent dialogue with our neighbors.
[Text]
Norco, LA, USA
COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANELS
More Shell employees sit at another conference table to speak with local officials and representatives in Louisiana, USA.
[Voice-Over]
We establish community advisory panels.
[Text]
Batangas, Phillipines
WORK WITH SCHOOLS
INSPIRE
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Young students in the Phillipines ask Shell engineers questions in a classroom setting, then see how technology works with a hands-on exhibit.
[Voice-Over]
We work with schools to inspire future scientists and engineers.
[Text]
Norco, LA, USA
BOOST SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
A montage of students in The Netherlands and the United States.
[Voice-Over]
Partner with local colleges to boost skills for confidence and future employment.
[Text]
Scotford, Canada
SUPPORT EMERGENCY SERVICES AND FIRST RESPONDERS
Shell employees interact with happy emergency responders in Canada.
[Voice-Over]
Support emergency services and first responders.
[Text]
Norco, LA, USA
Medium shot of a Pride Parade in Scotford, Canada. Transition to Shell employees surprising a local business with gifts.
Young people in Louisiana, USA test the waters in the marshlands for pH levels.
[Voice-Over]
Our employees care about each other, their neighbors and the environment.
[Text]
Norco, LA, USA
DRIVE AWARENESS
We see Shell people helping in Louisiana, USA with a food and supply drive and also putting up a fence in a nearby park.
[Voice-Over]
And we volunteer to drive awareness and raise money for important causes.
[Text]
Deer Park, TX, USA
AND RAISE MONEY
Transition to a yellow background with white type, along with inset videos and photos of Shell employees in the community.
[Text]
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ONE OF THOSE VIDEOS ABOUT
[Voice-Over]
So the next time you see a video about some big…
An impressive montage of large Shell facilities featuring advanced technology and processes.
[Text]
SHELL’S BIG, GLOBAL INITIATIVES
[Voice-Over]
technologically advanced thing Shell is doing…
Students smile and laugh, and then we see a Shell employee creating chalk art in a school parking lot.
[Text]
DON’T FORGET WE’RE JUST AS COMMITTED RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
[Voice-Over]
…don’t forget we’re just as committed to being a great neighbor...right around the corner.
Transition to a yellow background with white type.
[Text]
LEARN MORE AT SHELL.COM/COMMUNITIES
Close card with pecten and mnemonic.
Growing our chemicals business
In many parts of the world, as living standards improve, consumers are buying their first refrigerator, car or smart phone. Businesses, schools and hospitals are investing in modern equipment. And many more in society are making choices based on sustainability. Shell plans to grow its chemicals business, to meet this increasing customer demand. And, as our customers’ needs are changing, so are we. We are expanding our product portfolio to include performance chemicals, as well as base and intermediate chemicals. And we are placing sustainability at the heart of our business growth. Our advantage in the market is based not just on our global presence and asset scale. We are unique because we can integrate across Shell businesses, because we are developing novel technologies and digital innovations, and because we are truly focused on our customers.
Technology
Innovation and technology have long been strengths of ours. We have an enviable track record in developing and licensing technologies that produce chemicals with less energy, less waste and better yields. This deep expertise, along with our truly collaborative approach, gives us confidence that we can unlock the challenges facing the chemicals industry, particularly when it comes to sustainability. Right now, Shell scientists, researchers and engineers are working to bring our more sustainable process for making polycarbonate to commercial scale. They are developing plastic waste and biomass as alternative feedstocks for making our chemicals. And working on using renewable electricity to heat steam cracker furnaces that are central to chemicals production.
Click to see some recent announcements
A digital business
Digitalisation offers our chemicals business exciting opportunities – from new ways to understand and engage with our customers and suppliers, to new business models and ways of working. In our production plants, data platforms and digital technologies are already boosting safety, productivity, optimisation of units and availability of our chemicals. We are using mobile tools to manage information in the field, models to mimic real plant dynamics and predictive analytics to detect the early signs of problems. Data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, drones, sensors and 3D-printing are transforming our operations.