Olefin and Olefin Derivative Carbon Footprint of Product Perspective

As society works toward the goals of the Paris Agreement and mitigating the effects of climate change, the representation of carbon footprint of product (CFP) has become a frequently requested aspect of product representation. At this time, however, globally aligned and accepted norms and conventions for calculating olefins and olefins derivatives CFPs are still evolving leaving the producer with several choices under the various methods and standards available. Given the complex nature of the olefins supply chain and manufacturing process, different choices can lead to considerably different values for CFP. This makes meaningful analysis for the comparison of different assets, process configurations, company baselines and lower carbon approaches challenging. This paper will present current options for methods and standards used to calculate olefin and olefin derivative CFP and introduce concepts for managing the complexity of choices and providing clarity and transparency.