Markets

Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical

Linear alpha olefins (LAO) are used to make a variety of surfactants and detergents that are the basis for shampoos, liquid hand soaps and dishwashing liquids.

Panalane® hydrogenated polybutenes are bright, clear, viscous liquids with outstanding feel, waterproofing properties and moisturizing ability. This makes them ideal for use in cosmetics, sunscreens, lip preparations, eye shadow, stick and roll-on deodorants, creams and lotions.

Silkflo® hydrogenated didecene and polydecenes cosmetic oils are clear, bright, high purity hydrocarbon liquids with a unique, non-oily feel that sets them apart from mineral oils and similar products. Silkflo polydecenes are the natural choice for moisturizing lotions; non-oily emollient bars, conditioning face creams, oil-in-water moisturizing and cleansing creams, water-in-oil cleansing creams, night-time lotions, water-resistant lotions, baby lotions and cationic lotions.

INEOS Isoalkanes are widely used in cosmetics and personal care applications where high spreadability, quick-dry, fast penetration of active ingredients, non-greasy feel and long-term formulation stability are a must. Isododecane is used in cosmetics: eye shadows, mascaras, lipsticks, lip glosses and skin creams. Isohexadecane is an important emollient in skin and hair care products, valued by consumers for the light, non-greasy feel it leaves on the skin, and by the formulator for its ability to produce robust, chemically stable emulsions.

Lubricants

In engine oils, chemical derivatives of Indopol® polybutenes can be used as dispersants to control deposits and prevent oil thickening and sludge formation. These dispersant additives have environmental benefits, since they allow longer oil drain intervals and can improve fuel economy.

Linear alpha olefins (LAO) and Isoolefins like Diisobutylene (DIB) are used to make a range of lubricant additives and industrial fluids. Isoalkanes are used as lubricants in metal working fluid applications.

Synthetic motor oils based on polyalphaolefins (PAO) from INEOS Oligomers reduce engine wear and extend the drain intervals as compared to conventional petroleum oils. PAOs are also used in automatic transmission fluids and in high performance industrial lubricants.

The global commitment towards renewable energy is stronger than ever and climate change plans like the USA’s Inflation Reduction Act, Europe’s Green Deal Industrial Plan and China’s Five-Year Plan are great examples of this push towards renewable energy. The wind turbine market is projected to show an astonishing double-digit growth rate in the coming years and it looks like we will reach 2 TW of installed wind energy by the end of 2030! Wind turbines often operate in harsh conditions that put a high stress on the wind turbine main gear oil. As windfarms are sometimes installed on remote locations and the challenges that are faced with servicing these windfarms make windfarm owners push for very reliable lubricants with increased lifetime and durability.

INEOS Oligomers has a wide range of specialized metallocene based PAO’s precisely manufactured for formulators to design lubricants that meet the challenging and severe requirements of the future main gear oil formulations. Learn more about the benefits of the metallocene based high viscous mPAOs in our dedicated leaflet.

Coatings, Adhesives, Paper, Paint and Ink

INEOS Oligomers manufactures a range of products used in surface technologies that include industrial coatings, decorative paints, printing inks, adhesives and sealants. Polybutenes from INEOS Oligomers are also used to manufacture caulks, sealants and a range of adhesives.

Linear alpha olefins (LAO) are key chemical intermediates for a variety of market applications. The heavier molecular weight ranges, C12 to C24 LAOs are used as intermediates for a variety of market applications including surfactants, detergents and paper sizing. Consumers see these LAO-based products in shampoos, liquid hand soaps, dishwashing liquids and paper products.

Chemical Intermediates

Packaging, Lubricants, Rubber, Tires & Agrochemicals

Linear alpha olefins (LAO) are key chemical intermediates for a variety of market applications:

• The lower carbon number C6 and C8 LAOs are primarily used as comonomers in a wide range of polyethylene applications, such as flexible packaging, rigid packaging and pipes.
• The C10 to C14 LAOs are made into polyalphaolefin (PAO) synthetic lubricants used in passenger car, heavy duty motor and gear oils.
• The heavier molecular weight range C12 to C24 LAOs are used as intermediates in a variety of market applications including surfactants, detergents, lubricant additives and paper sizing.

Consumers see these LAO-based products in shampoos, liquid hand soaps, dishwashing liquids, synthetic motor oils, paper products, trash bags, milk bottles and various other plastic products around us.

Specialty Oligomers olefin grades are used as reactants in a diverse range of products and applications, including:

• Diisobutylene (DIB) is an important intermediate in the synthesis of Octylphenols, Octylsilanes, Octylthiols and Isononanoyl derivatives which have multiple uses in lubricants, silicones, oxidation inhibitors, anti-wear additives, emulsion paints and rubber processing chemicals including the tackifiers used in the car tire industry.
• Triisobutylene (TIB) can be used in the production of many chemicals like Dodecylphenol, Tridecyl alcohol, Dodecyl succinic anhydrides, Branched Dodecylbenzene derivatives as well as Tertiary-dodecyl mercaptans.
• Isoamylene is a key building block for many specialty chemical intermediates. It is used in the synthesis of fragrances, fungicides, herbicides, disinfectants, growth regulators, organic peroxides, hydrocarbon resins, UV stabilizers, and phenolic resins.
• Methylpropadiene is a rare chemical used to control the structure of butadiene rubbers. It can also be used in the synthesis of fine chemicals like flavor and fragrances, and pharmaceuticals.

Oilfield Drilling

Oilfield Chemicals produced by INEOS Oligomers offer a range of alpha olefin based drilling products to the oilfield drilling arena which include linear alpha olefins (LAO), internal olefins (IO), olefin blends and polyalphaolefins under the Amodrill® trade name.

These clear, colorless, water-white mobile olefin LAO and IO liquids have been used in marine drilling environments for more than a decade, and for several years for onshore drilling. Low density Amodrill® LAO fluids have led to improved penetration rates for onshore wells.

These products offer a number of positive environmental attributes, including:

• Reduced exposure to fugitive emissions of aromatic compounds vs. diesel or mineral oil materials
• Low volatility
• Flash points above 100°C
• Lower odor than diesel oil
• Anaerobic biodegradation in marine environments
• Low toxicity to both water column and sea floor invertebrates
• Rapid biodegradation in soil
• Low toxicity to bacteria, plants and worms in soil