Page 38: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2023)

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GULF OF MEXICO HYDROGEN HUBS in Texas, Southwest Louisiana, and the U.S. Gulf Coast,” terminal in the port, and numerous other facilities, fed by were among the submitters that received encouragement a pipeline network), Magellan Midstream and Epic Mid- from the DOE. stream – both major pipeline operators.

The objective is to “…leverage the world’s largest con- Commodity participants, if the port’s efforts move centration of existing hydrogen production assets, infra- ahead, include well-known traders Trafgura and Sempra. structure, and customers in the Gulf Coast region to pro- They suggest that: “When it is to be exported from the duce clean hydrogen…” hub by rail or ship, hydrogen likely will be reacted into

In an FAQ document on HV’s website, they say: "The ammonia, which is a larger, more stable molecule that can hub encompasses a variety of projects, including end-use either be used directly as an energy source or processed to applications, connective infrastructure, pipelines, ship- yield free hydrogen.” ping, and trucked hydrogen delivery.” In conversations with Maritime Reporter & Engineer-

The view from high up shows this hub to part of clean ing News, Sean Strawbridge, Port of Corpus Christi’s hydrogen network that will help decarbonize many sectors CEO, suggested that methanol (which can also be pro- of the economy, on a national scale. duced from hydrogen) would also be a potential fuel to be

Corpus Christi, a leading participant in exports of U.S. moved from the Hub at Corpus Christi (the leading port crude and distillate products, has also set its sights on the for U.S. crude exports). hydrogen future. Like the H2theFuture and the HV, it also Strawbridge, who is the current Chair of American As- received of vote of confdence from the US DOE. sociation of Port Authorities (AAPA), provided a broader

The port says: “The HCH2 Concept Paper, submitted perspective on decarbonization, and the U.S. abundance to the DOE on November 7, names around 30 private sec- of potential hydrogen production available, in the future, tor team members as owners, developers and/or operators, for export. off-takers, and end users of various hydrogen value chain “Texas is the largest producer of wind energy, and the projects and supporting infrastructure…” second largest producer of solar power in the nation,” he

The list of potential collaborators on the infrastructure said, adding that “many foreign nations are looking to the side includes Buckeye Partners (operators of a large tanker United States for the production of green fuels.”

Center for Houston’s Future 38 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM