At its petrochemical and refining facilities in Baytown, Texas, ExxonMobil is developing the first low-carbon hydrogen production facility on a global scale.

Up to 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas-derived hydrogen may be produced there each day, with over 95% of the related CO2 being absorbed and securely stored underground.

First, switching to hydrogen fuel for Exxon’s Baytown olefins unit might lower overall CO2 emissions by up to 30% from current operations. ExxonMobil’s goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) across all of its operating assets by 2050 would be supported by the initiative.

Second, the carbon capture and storage project outlined in this proposal would be one of the biggest in the world, with the capacity to store up to 10 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually, or more than 2 million cars’ worth of emissions. It could increase the company’s industry-leading carbon capture and storage capacity, which is currently 9 million metric tonnes annually.

ExxonMobil’s initial contribution to the Houston carbon capture hub proposal it unveiled last year will be this facility for carbon capture and storage. Currently, this idea has developed into an industry-wide initiative to absorb and store up to 100 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually by 2040 from petrochemical complexes, power plants, and refineries in the Houston area, including Exxon’s Baytown location.

By minimizing the carbon footprint of the goods it produces there, such as the contemporary polymers used in everything from medical equipment to cell phones and electric cars, reducing the company’s emissions at Baytown would help its clients. In order to assist other industrial facilities in the Houston area in lowering their emissions, Exxon also intends to make this low-carbon hydrogen available to them.

For industries like heavy industry that are challenging to decarbonize, hydrogen is particularly crucial in lowering greenhouse gas emissions.