Veolia Environnement and Total inaugurated the Osilub plant at the Gonfreville l'Orcher site in Normandy (France) today.
After construction lasting 20 months, this plant will increase the motor oil treatment capacity in France and more generally in northwestern Europe, to regenerate used oil into high-grade lubricants.
"Innovating in industrial solutions to transform our waste into new resources is one of the pillars of the new Veolia we are building. Our success will also be that of our clients and partners committed, along with us, to protecting our environment. The virtuous model created jointly with the Total group around Osilub and recycling used oil is a tangible example of an industrial world looking to the future and knowing how to combine economic growth with sustainable development. The choice of Le Havre (France) was not down to chance; it reflects our deep commitment to the industrial sector in this region where we have invested almost €90 million in five years."
Antoine Frérot
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Veolia Environnement
"One of the oil market's majors, Total is present in all stages of its life cycle. Osilub is representative of innovation that will make it possible to recover used oil in the best manner possible enabling us to provide our clients with very high quality products, in a virtuous process of a'circular economy.' Energy efficiency is at the heart of our Group's priorities, since it is one answer to today's environmental challenges and helps conserve precious fossil fuel resources. Osilub also marks the start of a new chapter in Total's history in Normandy. The Group already owns numerous facilities in this region and invests heavily there: especially at the Normandy Platform that includes a refinery and a benchmark petrochemicals plant."
Philippe Boisseau
President Marketing & Services and President New Energies, Total
It took several years of research to develop the process used at the Osilub plant: scrapedfilm vacuum distillation is based on processes used by the fine chemicals industry. It preserves the oil molecules and ensures a high yield. The base oil produced by Osilub will be treated in specific units, including the Normandy refinery, so it can be used in high-grade motor oils that meet the most recent specifications.
This industrial facility meets sustainable development targets compliant with the recycling priorities set by the European Union. It also boosts the presence in this region of Total and Veolia Environnement, two significant contributors to the economic and industrial fabric of the Normandy region.
Veolia Environnement
Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE and NYSE: VE) is the worldwide reference in environmental services. With more than 220,000 employees*, the company provides tailored solutions to meet the needs of municipal and industrial customers in three complementary segments: water management, waste management and energy management. Veolia Environnement recorded revenue of €29.4 billion in 2012*.
* Excluding Veolia Transdev employees and revenues currently under divestment.
Total
Total is one of the largest integrated oil and gas companies in the world, with activities in more than 130 countries. The Group is also a first rank player in chemicals. Its 96,000 employees put their expertise to work in every part of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas, refining and marketing, new energies, trading, and chemicals. Total is working to help satisfy the global demand for energy, both today and tomorrow.
Contacts
Veolia Environnement
Marie-Claire Camus
Tel: + 33 (0)1 71 75 06 08
[email protected]
Stéphane Galfré
Tel: + 33 (0)1 71 75 19 27
[email protected]
Total
Florent Segura
Tel: +33 (1) 47 44 31 38 /
+33 6 17 05 61 28
[email protected]