ExxonMobil plans hydrogen production and CCS at US Baytown complex

ExxonMobil is planning a hydrogen production plant and what is claimed will be one of the world’s largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects at its integrated refining and petrochemical site at Baytown, Texas, US.

The proposed hydrogen plant will produce up to 1bn cf/d of blue hydrogen (from natural gas and supported by CCS) with the CCS facility capable of storing up to 10mn t/y of CO₂, more than doubling ExxonMobil’s current capacity.

Using hydrogen as a fuel at the Baytown olefins plant could reduce the integrated complex’s Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions by up to 30%, reports ExxonMobil, supporting the company’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operated assets by 2050. 

Access to surplus hydrogen and CO₂ storage capacity will be made available to nearby industry.

The project will potentially form ExxonMobil’s contribution to a broad, cross-industry Houston CCS hub with an initial target of about 50mn t/y of CO₂ by 2030, and 100mn tonnes by 2040.

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