Australian energy giant unveils plans to fuel Asian markets

Sydney: Western Australian (WA) oil and gas company Woodside has unveiled long-term plans to potentially supply liquid hydrogen to two major Asian destinations.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Woodside said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corporation and Japan’s Osaka Gas to conduct a feasibility study into ultimately establishing a “stable supply chain of sustainable liquid hydrogen (LH2)” from WA to those companies’ home markets.

The MoU followed the October announcement of Woodside’s proposed gas facility, H2Perth, which will be created to supply international consumers.

Woodside Chief Executive Officer Meg O’Neill said the 1-billion- Australian-dollar (720-million-U.S. dollar) plant in the WA capital of Perth would be “ideally located” for shipping to Singapore and Japan, and noted that the site was “close to gas, power, water and port infrastructure, as well as a skilled local workforce.”

The H2Perth hub, which is due to be built in 2024, would have a target of 300 tonnes per day of hydrogen production, which could be converted into 600,000 tonnes per annum of ammonia or 110,000 tonnes per annum of LH2.

O’Neill said the MoU with Keppel and Osaka Gas complied with Woodside’s aim to “develop a diversified and scalable portfolio of new energy products to help reduce customers’ emissions.”

Woodside is keen to promote hydrogen because it does not emit carbon dioxide during combustion and is considered a promising next generation, low-carbon fuel that can be used in a range of applications including power generation, town gas and as an industrial feedstock.

The gas can also be liquefied by cooling it to -253 degrees Celsius, meaning LH2 takes up far less volume than in its original state, making it easier to be stored and transported.

Woodside’s feasibility study with its Asian partners is expected to take about six months “at which juncture the parties will decide on the next phase of their collaboration”, the statement noted.

SOURCE: XINHUA