DOE releases hydrogen roadmap

CARBON CAPTURE

Navigator CO2 partners with Puro.earth on CDR credits

• Navigator CO2 has partnered with Puro.earth to validate and certify its carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits generated from the Heartland Greenway CCUS project.

• The partnership combines Puro’s Geologically Stored Carbon Methodology with Navigator’s CCUS system, providing access to stakeholders across the CDR spectrum and enabling scalability and impact in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM).

• The Heartland Greenway project, one of the largest CCUS projects in North America, will have the capacity to permanently sequester up to 15 million metric tons of biogenic carbon dioxide per year.

• The partnership with Puro.earth ensures that Navigator’s activities are certified as carbon net-negative, and the project’s CO2 removal capacity is independently verified through a comprehensive lifecycle assessment.

• Puro’s Standard is endorsed by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance and focuses on durable carbon removal, with CO2 Removal Certificates recorded in the Puro Registry to ensure traceability and transparency.

• The partnership aims to address the undersupply of high-quality CDR products in the market and position Navigator as a key supplier of net-negative emissions to the VCM by 2025.

• Navigator is actively engaging in negotiations for offtake frameworks and plans to deliver CDR at a multi-megaton scale on an ongoing basis starting in 2026.

China commissions first offshore CCS pilot

• CNOOC Limited has officially commissioned China’s first offshore CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) demonstration project.

• The project is an auxiliary part of the Enping 15-1 oilfields development, located in the Pearl River Mouth Basin.

• The CCS module captures and processes CO2 from the oilfield and injects it into a saline water layer under the seabed to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions.

• The successful commissioning demonstrates CNOOC Limited’s complete technology and equipment system for offshore carbon dioxide storage, filling the gap in China’s offshore carbon dioxide storage technology.

• The project has a storage capacity of over 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to planting nearly 14 million trees.

• CNOOC Limited aims to increase reserves and production while promoting green and low-carbon development in offshore oilfields.

• The company will continue its R&D efforts to explore offshore carbon storage solutions and contribute to carbon reduction in high-emission coastal areas.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Dow and New Energy Blue team up on renewable plastics

• Dow and New Energy Blue have announced a long-term supply agreement to develop renewable plastic materials from corn residue.

• New Energy Blue will create bio-based ethylene from renewable agricultural residues, and Dow will purchase this bio-based ethylene for use in recyclable applications across transportation, footwear, and packaging.

• This agreement is the first in North America to generate plastic source materials from corn stover and Dow’s first agreement in North America to utilize agricultural residues for plastic production.

• Dow is supporting the design of New Energy Freedom, a facility in Iowa that will process corn stover to produce ethanol and clean lignin, with half of the ethanol converted into bio-based ethylene feedstock for Dow products.

• The agreement also provides Dow with commercial supply options for future New Energy Blue projects, supporting the scaling of production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• The collaboration aims to redefine sourcing of raw materials and expand the use of renewable feedstocks, aligning with Dow’s sustainability goals and commitment to circular products.

• The use of renewable feedstocks will be certified by ISCC Plus, ensuring traceability and allowing Dow’s customers to account for bio-based materials in their supply chains.

• The agreement creates an additional economic value for farmers by providing a new market for their corn stover and promoting carbon retention in the soil.

NATURAL GAS AND LNG

QatarEnergy signs 15-year LNG deal with Bangladesh’s PetroBangla

• QatarEnergy has signed a 15-year LNG supply deal with Bangladesh’s state-owned PetroBangla for 1.8 million tonnes per year starting in 2026.

• This contract with an Asian customer comes as Western countries compete for Qatari gas amid increased demand following the Ukraine war.

• QatarEnergy’s LNG exports will primarily go to Asia, with some going to Europe as well. The company expects high demand for its gas from the North Field expansion project.

• The North Field expansion will increase Qatar’s liquefaction capacity to 126 million tonnes per year by 2027.

• QatarEnergy plans to finalize LNG supply deals with European customers after the summer break, and the duration of contracts has not been an issue during negotiations.

• Europe’s climate goals pose challenges for long-term agreements, but the continent still requires significant gas to replace Russian imports.

• Asia has been ahead in securing gas from Qatar’s production expansion project due to its appetite for long-term agreements.

INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION

CarbonPath, Civitas, Greenfield Environmental team up on plugging abandoned oil and gas wells

• A unique partnership in Colorado is tackling the clean-up of abandoned oil and gas wells that are leaking methane and other hazardous emissions.

• The public-private partnership includes CarbonPath, Civitas Resources, and Greenfield Environmental Solutions, and they are working on nearly four dozen sites in northeastern Colorado.

• Sen. John Hickenlooper toured an abandoned well site and praised the collaboration, emphasizing provisions of the Infrastructure and Reinvestment Act (IRA) that will provide federal funding for clean-up efforts.

• CarbonPath’s industrial carbon credit registry and methodologies help finance the permanent closure of abandoned wells, with plans to replicate the model in other states.

• The partnership aims to address climate change, create local jobs, and mitigate the negative impacts of well leakage on communities.

• Abandoned and low-producing wells emit significant greenhouse gases, and urgent action is needed to sequester these emissions and protect the environment.

Germany launches $50 billion program for industrial decarbonization

• Germany is launching a program to provide tens of billions of euros in funding to help its industrial sector transition to carbon-neutral production techniques.

• The program, expected to have a volume of around 50 billion euros over the next 15 years, will be financed through a climate and transformations fund.

• The program aims to counter the lure of subsidies and favorable legislation offered by other regions, such as the United States, to attract companies away from Europe.

• It will offer climate protection contracts to support the decarbonization of industries like steel, cement, paper, and chemicals.

• Companies have two months to express their interest in the program, after which an auction process will begin, with the lowest bids winning.

• The program is open to firms emitting 10 kilotonnes of CO2 or more per year, including mid-sized companies.

• The initiative aims to support Germany’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2045 and address the challenges faced by companies due to high costs for raw materials, energy, and labor.

• The program has been welcomed by industry associations, including the chemicals lobby VCI, which emphasized the importance of including small and medium-sized enterprises in the funding program.

Source: U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap