Carbon Emissions Management of the Petrochemical Industries in Thailand

Abstract

Petrochemical industry is one of the major industries in Thailand. Although the petrochemical industry is aware of its environmental responsibility and environmental management and controls have been implemented; the industry was motivated to advance their environmental performance in order to be able to tackle: the issue of global climate change, the rising local concern over environmental impact; the new forms of trading barrier; and the national goal towards sustainable growth.

This study developed a carbon budget for Thai petrochemical industries, which covered 52 products from upstream, intermediate and downstream petrochemical industries together with plastics and derivatives industries. The study, it evaluated the need for carbon emissions reduction, assessed the possible emissions reduction and identified areas for carbon emissions mitigation.

The developed carbon budget of Thai petrochemical industries for the year 2008 was 11 Mtonnes CO2eq (±10%) and the emission intensity was 0.63 ktonnes CO2eq per ktonne of production (±10%). It was found that Thai petrochemical industries had relatively low carbon emissions in comparison to other Thai industries and to chemical industries of other countries. Despite this result and the fact that there was currently no carbon emissions reduction obligation for Thai industries, it was suggested that the petrochemical industries should still advance their environmental performance and technologies, which would help in preparing themselves for the potential future reduction obligations. It would also lead to less environmental management expenditure better green competitiveness, sustainable development of the industries and a better living standard for the country.

Accordingly, it was estimated that carbon emissions of Thai petrochemical industries could be reduced by 25-61% through adapting current best practice and the mitigation action should be started with enhancing energy efficiency at onsite utility plants. This result implies that Thai petrochemical industries did not need to resort to difficult or extraordinary solutions to make a substantial emissions reduction. Rather, what is needed is a good investment in existing effective technologies, engineering and environmental management. Other mitigation areas are development of less- or zero- carbon intensive material and energy, development of cleaner technologies, and carbon capture and storage.