Paul Rodden • Season: 2024 • Episode: 325
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Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!
In episode 325, ExxonMobil makes a massive announcement with Air Liquide and natural hydrogen development moves forward in Canada. I’ll go over this news and give my thoughts on today’s hydrogen podcast.
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Transcript:
ExxonMobil makes a massive announcement with Air Liquide and natural hydrogen development moves forward in Canada. I’ll go over this news and give my thoughts on today’s hydrogen podcast.
So the big questions in the energy industry today are, how is hydrogen the primary driving force behind the evolution of energy? Where is capital being deployed for hydrogen projects globally, and where are the best investment opportunities for early adopters who recognize the importance hydrogen, I will address the critical issues and give you the information you need to deploy capital. Those are the questions that will unlock the potential of hydrogen, and this podcast will give you the answers. My name is Paul Rodden, and welcome to the hydrogen podcast.
In a press release. On June 24 ExxonMobil adds Air Liquide to world’s largest low carbon hydrogen project. ExxonMobil and Air Liquide on June 24 announced an announced an agreement to support the production of low-carbon hydrogen and low-carbon ammonia at ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas facility. The agreement will enable transportation of low-carbon hydrogen through Air Liquide’s existing pipeline network. Additionally, Air Liquide will build and operate four Large Modular Air separation units (LMAs) to supply 9,000 metric tons of oxygen and up to 6,500 metric tons of nitrogen daily to the facility.
The LMAs will primarily use low-carbon electricity to reduce the project’s carbon footprint. “Momentum continues to build for the world’s largest low-carbon hydrogen project and the emerging hydrogen market,” said Dan Ammann, President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. “This partnership with Air Liquide further strengthens our Baytown project by enabling hydrogen distribution through existing networks and securing key feedstocks.” ExxonMobil’s planned hydrogen production facility will be the world’s largest. It is expected to produce 1 billion cubic feet of low-carbon hydrogen daily, and more than 1 million tons of ammonia annually while capturing more than 98% of the associated CO2 emissions.
Partnering with Air Liquide, ExxonMobil aims to enable the growth of a low-carbon hydrogen market along the U.S. Gulf Coast to help industrial customers decarbonize their operations. And in a corresponding press release from Air Liquide, decarbonization: Air Liquide selected to invest up to 850 million US dollars in largest low carbon oxygen production in the Americas. Air Liquide plans to invest up to 850 million dollars to build, own and operate four Large Modular Air separation units as well as related infrastructure in the framework of a long-term binding agreement with ExxonMobil for its planned low-carbon hydrogen project in Baytown, TX.
This will enable Air Liquide to increase its oxygen production capacity by 50% in Texas. Pending final investment decision, this major project would mark the largest industrial investment in the history of the Air Liquide Group. This new Air Liquide Baytown low-carbon platform would serve primarily ExxonMobil with vast amounts of low-carbon oxygen and nitrogen, as well as significant volumes of argon and rare gases such as krypton and xenon for Air Liquide’s other customers. Thanks to low carbon electricity supply and Air Liquide’s innovative solution, the CO2 footprint of oxygen production will be reduced by two-thirds.
In line with Air Liquide’s Advance strategic plan, this decarbonization project will also contribute to enhancing the Group’s Industrial Merchant footprint in the U.S. Triggered by ExxonMobil’s enormous need for oxygen at their low-carbon hydrogen project in Baytown, TX, Air Liquide has been selected to establish a low-carbon industrial gas platform. Pending the project’s final investment decision, Air Liquide would build, own and operate four new Large Modular Air (LMA) separation units at ExxonMobil’s site in Baytown, in order to produce and supply:
a record volume of 9,000 metric tons per day of oxygen for the production of low-carbon hydrogen and up to 6,500 metric tons per day of nitrogen to support the synthesis of low-carbon hydrogen into low-carbon ammonia as a source of low-carbon energy for the export market. The agreement also enables leveraging on Air Liquide’s existing pipeline infrastructure to foster the development of low-carbon hydrogen. In addition, thanks to large volumes, the LMA units will also produce high amounts of argon, as well as krypton and xenon, enabling the Group to strengthen its offering to customers in the rare gases market.
These LMA plants provide a step-change both in terms of production output and energy consumption optimization, as they use 25% less electricity to make each tonne of oxygen. In addition, these LMA plants are planned to be primarily powered by renewable and low-carbon electricity, further reducing the carbon footprint of the project.
The investment decision for Air Liquide’s Baytown Low Carbon Platform will be linked to the development of ExxonMobil’s low-carbon hydrogen project which is subject to supportive government policy, necessary regulatory permits and market conditions. ExxonMobil’s project is expected to capture and permanently store 7 million tons of CO2 per year. and in a quote from François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide, Our Baytown Low Carbon platform project demonstrates our capacity to innovate and leverage on our footprint in the U.S. to actively contribute to the decarbonization of the industry.
Through this new agreement with ExxonMobil, Air Liquide is proud to support the development of what is poised to be the world’s largest low-carbon platform while reinforcing its gas offering in this key industrial basin. In line with our strategic plan ADVANCE, this major investment is a concrete example of our determination to embark on first-mover projects to contribute to the emergence of a low-carbon future. Okay, so some of the biggest news to hit yet on this gargantuan collaboration between one of the biggest energy companies in the world and one of the biggest industrial gas companies in the world, with Air Liquide spending $850 million on air separation units with the ability to generate unbelievable amount of oxygen and nitrogen, as well as heavy amounts of argon, krypton and xenon.
I recently talked with someone at ExxonMobil about this announcement, and he said that everyone in a low carbon Solutions Group is really excited about it, and they should be. This is a big win for both ExxonMobil and Air Liquide. But what is left hanging is whether or not this will actually happen. Since we don’t have any updates on the three pillars regulations, we have no idea if the Baytown facility will even open their doors, so now we just continue to wait and see what the US Treasury will deem as clean hydrogen.
Next in a press release on June 25 Max Power enters into a strategic alliance with Chapman hydrogen and petroleum engineering limited. Max Power Mining Corporation is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Chapman hydrogen and petroleum engineering limited of Calgary, Alberta, a privately owned, leading international energy consultant, specifically targeting the first natural hydrogen discoveries in Canada.
Some of the highlights of this announcement is one the strategic alliance with Chapman positions max power as first mover, leader among publicly traded companies in the emerging North American natural hydrogen sector. Also, Mr. Denis Brière, Chapman’s VP-Engineering, is recognized as one of the world’s leading petrophysicists and played a key role in the world’s first Natural Hydrogen discovery. Also, of highlight The MAX Power-Chapman alliance is identifying, prioritizing, acquiring and preparing to explore the best Natural Hydrogen targets across Canada, while MAX Power also fast tracks its U.S. strategy. Chapman helped confirm the world’s first discovery of an accumulation of Natural Hydrogen gas in Mali, West Africa, last decade. That discovery, which quickly provided low-cost, emissions-free electricity for an entire village, was supported by the world’s first-ever Hydrogen NI 51-101 report written by Chapman’s Denis Brière. Mr. Brière commented:
“The fact that accumulations of Natural Hydrogen gas are now known to exist in the earth’s subsurface has the potential to dramatically impact the hydrogen sector and the broader push for alternate energy sources. Additional discoveries have been made since Mali, generating momentum for this important new subset of the hydrogen sector.” Mr. Charlie Chapman, President of Chapman Hydrogen and Petroleum Engineering Ltd. since 1985, commented: “We’re very excited to have this strategic alliance with MAX Power Mining. Canada, from coast to coast, is ripe with Natural Hydrogen targets based on our proprietary knowledge, rich databases, and robust modeling. We have a head start and we are moving fast with MAX Power.”
Mr. Rav Mlait, MAX Power CEO, commented: “This Strategic Alliance between MAX Power and Chapman Hydrogen and Petroleum Ltd. builds on our focus as a mineral exploration company to innovate and lead among our peers with respect to the decarbonization shift in North America. The MAX Power-Chapman alliance will further accelerate the awareness of the immense opportunity in Natural Hydrogen.” Okay, so you can guess that I am very excited about this news, and look forward to hearing more about their discoveries.
Natural hydrogen, from all appearances, looks to be the lowest hanging fruit to generate large amounts of Hydrogen. And while there are still hurdles that need to be addressed, such as transportation, these early movers will have a distinct advantage as the hydrogen transition moves forward.
All right, that’s it for me, everyone. If you have a second, I would really appreciate it. If you could leave a good review on whatever platform it is that you listen to Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, YouTube, whatever it is, that would be a tremendous help to the show. And as always, if you ever have any feedback, you’re welcome to email me directly at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com. So until next time, keep your eyes up and honor one another.
Hey, this is Paul. I hope you liked this podcast. If you did and want to hear more. I’d appreciate it if you would either subscribe to this channel on YouTube, or connect with your favorite platform through my website at www.thehydrogenpodcast.com. Thanks for listening. I very much appreciate it. Have a great day.
