OREANDA-NEWS.  IBN-One, a subsidiary of Global Bioenergies and Cristal Union, today announced it has awarded the first engineering contract for its bio-isobutene plant to Technip and IPSB.

Following a consultation process by IBN-One in spring 2016, the initial engineering work contract has been awarded to a consortium that includes Technip, a global leader in engineering for the energy, petrochemical and chemical industries, and IPSB, an engineering firm specialising in sugar and biotechnologies. This first front-end engineering design (FEED) phase will run for 12 months and precedes the detailed engineering studies for the plant's construction.

Alain Fran?ois, Managing Director of Technip Lyon with responsibility for bio-sourced industries, said: "We are delighted to have been selected with IPSB by IBN-One to manage the project and conduct the studies for the downstream part of the process, namely the purification of bio-isobutene. Global Bioenergies' bio-isobutene production technology is a breakthrough innovation. This project demonstrates the industrial potential of bio-sourced chemicals, for which Technip's experience in complex project engineering provides added value."

Franck Launay, Chairman of IPSB, added: "We will be responsible for the engineering of the plant's upstream segment, dedicated to the intake of the raw material from the neighboring sugar mill and its conversion into bio-isobutene by a process of fermentation. We are proud to be part of this project and to contribute to establishing a bridge between renewable resources and major petrochemical markets."

Bernard Chaud, Chairman and CEO of IBN-One and Director of Industrial Strategy of Global Bioenergies concluded: "IBN-One is the project owner of the first plant to use Global Bioenergies' isobutene technology. During this phase, engineers will specify the design of the equipment and the connections between the plant's different subunits, as well as its integration at a Cristal Union sugar beet site. Leaders in their respective fields, Technip and IPSB provide two key and complementary areas of expertise to advance the project."

The contracts for the second phase, comprising the detailed engineering studies, will be awarded at a later date. Construction is then expected to commence early in 2018.

About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies worldwide, and the only one in Europe, that is developing a process to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through fermentation. The Company initially focused its efforts on the production of isobutene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks that can be converted into fuels, plastics, organic glass and elastomers. Global Bioenergies continues to improve the performances of its process, operates its industrial pilot, has begun the construction of its demo plant in Germany, and prepares the first full-scale plant through a Joint-Venture with Cristal Union, named IBN-One. The company also replicated its achievement to propylene and butadiene, two members of the gaseous olefins family, key molecules at the heart of petrochemical industry. Global Bioenergies is listed on Alternext, Euronext Paris (FR0011052257 - ALGBE).

About IBN-One

IBN-One was created in 2015 as a 50/50 joint venture between Global Bioenergies and Cristal Union.
IBN-One's mission is to engineer, build and profitably operate the first commercial plant for the production of bio-isobutene on one of Cristal Union's sites in France.

About Technip

Technip is a world leader in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry.
From the deepest subsea oil & gas developments to the largest and most complex offshore and onshore infrastructures, our 32,500 employees are constantly offering the best solutions and most innovative technologies to meet the world's energy challenges.
Present in 45 countries, Technip has state-of-the-art industrial assets on all continents and operates a fleet of specialised vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction.
Technip shares are listed on the Euronext Paris exchange and over-the-counter in the US as an American Depositary Receipt (OTCQX: TKPPY).

About IPSB

Historically present in the process engineering markets for sugar production from a range of agricultural resources (sugar beet, grain, etc.), IPSB has developed unique expertise in industrial biotechnologies in the past ten years. This know-how positions it as a key player in the construction of demo plants and industrial plants based on bio-processes. IPSB works closely with its customers, start-ups or larger industrial partners in search of new markets for their products, and to develop the bio-economy in France and internationally. In France, it focuses on the "Grand Est" region (in the north-east of the country), the location for what will be the first bio-sourced isobutene production plant.