Topsoe and Aramco sign Joint Development Agreement to advance low-carbon hydrogen solutions using eREACT™

• Aramco and Topsoe sign a joint development agreement (JDA) to produce low-carbon hydrogen using Topsoe’s innovative eREACT™ technology at the Shaybah Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) recovery plant in Saudi Arabia.
• Once operational, the plant’s 3MW unit is expected to produce 6 tons of low-carbon hydrogen daily.
• The JDA builds on the two companies’ initial collaboration, announced in October 2023, to demonstrate the scalability, efficiency and carbon-reduction potential of eREACT™.

Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, and Aramco, a global integrated energy and chemicals company, have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to produce low-carbon hydrogen, also referred to as blue hydrogen, using Topsoe’s ground-breaking eREACT™ technology in Aramco’s Shaybah NGL facility. The JDA underlines the two parties’ strategic collaboration and ambitions to bring carbon-reducing technology to the market.

This collaboration will further demonstrate integration of Aramco’s innovative palladium-alloy membrane technology ensuring the production of low-carbon hydrogen with simultaneous CO₂ capture. Aramco's contribution is instrumental, as it brings its extensive resources, expertise, and global reach to enable the commercialization of this technology.

By combining Topsoe's expertise in carbon emission reduction technologies with Aramco's resources, this strategic collaboration will accelerate the adoption of this novel low-carbon hydrogen technology on a global scale. The successful commercialization of eREACT™ technology will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the energy and chemical sectors.

Elena Scaltritti, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe, said:
“We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with Aramco further. With this joint development agreement, we are demonstrating the significant commercial viability of our eREACT™ technology and its benefits to low-carbon hydrogen production. This technology holds a significant potential as part of the low-carbon hydrogen economy, and we are excited to deliver on the project in due course.”

Ali A Al-Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight & Coordination, said:
“Our collaboration with Topsoe will bring together the expertise of our two companies in attempting to create a cutting-edge technology solution to develop a lower-carbon hydrogen production technology from hydrocarbons. By leveraging Aramco’s oil and gas infrastructure and abundantly available renewable resources in the Kingdom, we plan to enable the commercial deployment of this novel technology.”

What is eREACT™
eREACT™ is a novel technology for production of low-carbon hydrogen and fuels. The heart of the technology is an innovative electrified reactor design, which can convert a variety of feedstocks into low-carbon hydrogen or other chemicals and fuels. With the eREACT™ technology it is possible to develop new production routes combining renewable electricity and natural gas while greatly reducing flue gas emissions. Due to its versatility, the technology has the potential to play an important role in the global transition to a low-carbon economy.

Once successfully deployed, the eREACT™ technology is intended to replace fossil fuel used for heating the reformer, with an electrified heating. Efficiencies gained through the electrified heating has the potential of reducing the gas volumes needed for hydrogen production by up to 30%, as presently demonstrated at pilot scale.

The carbon-reducing potential of eREACT™ further increases if the process is combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS).

About Aramco
Aramco is a global integrated energy and chemicals company. We are driven by our core belief that energy is opportunity. From producing approximately one in every eight barrels of the world’s oil supply to developing new energy technologies, our global team is dedicated to creating impact in all that we do. We focus on making our resources more dependable, more sustainable, and more useful. This helps promote stability and long-term growth around the world. www.aramco.com

About Topsoe
Topsoe is a leading global provider of technology and solutions for the energy transition. We combat climate change by helping our customers and partners achieve their decarbonization and emission reduction goals.  

Based on decades of scientific research and innovation, we offer world-leading solutions for transforming renewable resources into fuels and chemicals for a sustainable world, and for efficient and low-carbon fuel production and clean air. 

We were founded in 1940 and are headquartered in Denmark, with over 2,800 employees serving customers all around the globe. To learn more, visit www.topsoe.com. 

For more information, please contact: 
Ulrik Frøhlke, Media Relations Manager
Phone: +45 27 77 99 68 
Mail: ulfr@topsoe.com