EET Fuels, the operator of the UK’s Stanlow oil refinery, has enlisted global engineering and consulting firm Wood to lead the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase of its hydrogen fuel switching initiative, as announced on Tuesday.
As a key entity under Essar Energy Transition (EET), which is spearheading $3.6 billion in low-carbon projects across the UK and India, EET Fuels is advancing its plan to transform Stanlow into the UK’s first low-carbon process refinery.
In their statement, EET Fuels confirmed the project’s progression to the FEED stage, with hydrogen supplied by EET Hydrogen, a co-located low-carbon hydrogen production company. Wood’s role will involve finalizing the design of the hydrogen-ready fuel system that will power the refinery’s crude distiller furnace. Additionally, Wood will update the infrastructure and control systems to support the safe and efficient use of hydrogen.
EET Fuels is committing $1.2 billion over the next five years to decarbonize its operations, aiming for a 95% reduction in emissions by 2030 through measures like energy efficiency, carbon capture, and fuel switching.
The Stanlow Refinery, processing around 10 million tonnes of crude oil annually, is a key player in the UK’s fuel supply chain, producing petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and vital petrochemical feedstocks. Completion of the FEED phase will set the stage for a final investment decision on the hydrogen fuel switching project next year, enabling the transition of assets like the hydrogen-ready crude distiller furnace, which is designed to operate on 100% hydrogen or a fuel-gas mix. Once operational, this furnace will cut emissions at Stanlow by 0.2 million tonnes annually. The availability of hydrogen from EET Hydrogen will further facilitate the conversion of all fired-heaters at the site.
EET Fuels CEO Deepak Maheshwari expressed confidence in the project, highlighting the importance of the hydrogen fuel switch in achieving their goal of reducing CO2 emissions at Stanlow by 95% by 2030. Martin Simmonite, Senior Vice President for UK Operations at Wood, emphasized the significance of this collaboration in advancing the UK’s energy transition and securing energy supplies.
