MATHESON, the US affiliate of Nippon Sanso Holdings Corporation (NSHD), has signed a long-term supply agreement to meet hydrogen requirements for a 75,000 bpd refinery in Mobile, Alabama owned by Vertex Energy. The MATHESON Facility will have a nameplate capacity exceeding 30 mmscfd hydrogen production and the capability to process a range of feedstocks, including renewable naphtha and other co-products from Vertex’s renewable diesel production, as well as natural gas, as necessary.

The facility is designed in accordance with MATHESON HyCO’s global standards with respect to safety, ultra-high supply reliability, and with the flexibility required to best integrate these specifications with Vertex’s operations and supply considerations.

Conceptual design of the HyCO Facility has been completed and engineering has been progressed. Procurement of critical path equipment by MATHESON has also commenced.

This initiative demonstrates MATHESON/NSHD’s commitment to gases supply for commercially sound renewable energy projects and represents a significant additional dimension to its global HyCO footprint. It also enhances MATHESON HyCO’s presence in the region, which includes existing facilities at McIntosh and Saraland in Alabama, and Pensacola in western Florida.

NSHD is currently pursuing multiple business and program initiatives under the global HyCO effort that supplies hydrogen, syngas and carbon monoxide products to select customers for selected projects and is committed to continue to explore opportunities to realize growth and a carbon-neutral society by expanding this business on a global scale.

Vertex Energy, which completed the acquisition of the 91,000 bpd Mobile, Alabama refinery in April from Equilon (doing business as various Shell companies), plans to convert the hydrocracking unit by the end of this year and start producing renewable diesel in 2023.