NOVA Chemicals produces a significant quantity of chemical co-products while producing ethylene.

Products and Additional Co-Products


NOVA Chemicals produces approximately 8 billion pounds of ethylene each year at production facilities across Canada and the United States. Ethylene is a hydrocarbon gas that is used as a building block to produce polyethylene, ethylene oxide, PVC, styrene, and various other chemical applications.

Polymer Grade Propylene

PGP is primarily used in the plastics industry. Over half of PGP in North America is used to produce polypropylene, with other common products including propylene oxide and acrylonitrile.

Crude Butadiene

The Crude Butadiene stream produced at Geismar is approximately 70% 1,3 butadiene. This production is shipped via barge for further processing into a more pure butadiene stream. Most butadiene is made into synthetic rubber.

Debutanized Aromatics Concentrate

Debutanized Aromatics Concentrate, also known as DAC or Pyrolysis Gasoline, is an aromatics stream made up of about 40% benzene. DAC is further refined, and used to create gasoline additives, styrene, and other petrochemical products. 

NOVA Chemicals’ principal co-products and their typical uses:

NOVA Chemicals produces a significant quantity of chemical co-products while producing ethylene. Ethylene is primarily used by NOVA Chemicals to produce polyethylene. All of NOVA Chemicals’ crackers (ethylene production units) are 100% ethane capable, meaning they can convert ethane into ethylene. Currently, this is the most efficient method of ethylene production, which results in lower co-product production, when compared to cracking other typical feedstocks such as propane, butane, naphtha or gas oil.

Corunna also has a Dripolene Pyrolosis Gasoline (DPG) unit which processes the bulk of NOVA Chemicals’ aromatic concentrate streams into various petrochemicals and gasoline blendstock products.

The following lists NOVA Chemicals’ principal co-products and their typical uses:

Propylene – a liquefied hydrocarbon gas, used as a raw material for manufacturing polypropylene, acrylonitrile, cumene, propylene glycol, propylene oxide and other polymers. Polypropylene is one of the main derivatives that is produced from propylene and is used in various applications such as food packaging and industrial applications such as automobile manufacturing.

Crude Butadiene – a liquefied hydrocarbon gas, also known as mixed C4 containing 1, 3-Butadiene, Butanes and Butylenes. 1, 3-Butadiene is a chemical building block that is used as a raw material in the production of various chemicals, elastomers, plastics and rubbers. Polybutadiene rubber is one of the primary derivatives produced from 1,3-Butadiene and it is used to produce tires, golf balls and hoses. Butylenes are usually sold to refineries with Alkylation units to produce a high-octane gasoline blendstock called Alkylate. Butanes are primarily sold to fuel consumers or to refineries that blend butane into gasoline in the winter months.

Aromatic Concentrate – a petrochemical mixture of hydrocarbons that contains over 50% aromatics such (Benzene, Toluene and Xylene). This stream is further processed to extract and separate the aromatics, petrochemicals and gasoline blendstock products.

Benzene – an aromatic hydrocarbon, which is used as the primary raw material to produce materials such as styrene, cumene and other specialty chemicals. Polystyrene, which is produced from styrene is used in several product applications, such as disposable cups, food containers and building insulation.

Toluene/Xylene – an aromatic hydrocarbon mixture, used as a gasoline blendstock and as a feedstock for industrial chemicals and solvents.

Gasoline Blendstock Products (C6-C8 and C9-200) – Both products are a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds that are used as gasoline blendstock.

Crude C5 – a hydrocarbon mixture, also known as “hydrocarbons C5 Rich”, which contains Isoprene, Piperylene and Natural Gasoline components. Isoprene is primarily used as a raw material for synthetic rubber production, which can be used to produce shoes, tires and adhesives. Piperylene can be used to produce products with various applications such as adhesives (for example, diaper fastenings), resins and plastics. The Natural Gasoline components are usually blended into gasoline.

UPR Grade Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) – a hydrocarbon, used in specialty products such as polyester resins, adhesives, coatings, varnishes and specialty chemicals. The resins can be used to produce bath tubs and boats.

Octylenes™ Mixture – a petrochemical mixture that is primarily processed into other chemical and gasoline blendstock products.

Carbon Dioxide – an inorganic gas, used for enhanced oil recovery

Hydrogen – an inorganic gas, used as a fuel gas and petrochemical feedstock; purified hydrogen is used in agricultural fertilizers.

Looking for additional information for co-products or other products?

Find Products