A new steam methane reformer and cold box in Geismar are onstream and supplying Huntsman’s neighboring industrial operations.
Air Products built, owns and operates the facility under a long-term agreement, supplying carbon monoxide, hydrogen and steam produced from the facility to Huntsman. Air Products’ SMR is also connected to its Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline and network system, which is the world’s largest hydrogen plant and pipeline network system.
Tony Hankins, president of Huntsman’s Polyurethanes division, said the new plant substantially improves HyCo reliability and strengthens the reliability and environmental performance of Huntsman’s upstream MDI-polyurethanes assets at Geismar, underpinning its drive into downstream markets.
The new facility is located on land leased from Huntsman and produces approximately 6.5 million standard cubic feet per day of CO, 50 MMSCFD of hydrogen, and up to 50,000 pounds per hour of steam. The facility is also capable of being expanded to increase CO supply in the future to support additional demand.
With the additional hydrogen production facility, Air Products continues to expand the capacity and capabilities of its GCP. Air Products’ GCP, dedicated in 2012, is an over 600-mile pipeline span that currently stretches from the Houston Ship Channel in Texas to New Orleans.
“Additions to our GCP like this one in Louisiana continue to enhance the reliable hydrogen supply to all the customers along the pipeline network,” Bill Hammarstrom, president of HyCO Americas at Air Products, said in a statement. “Air Products is always seeking to add product supply capacity from more sources of hydrogen for our customers to build on our well-established pipeline system in the Gulf Coast.”
