Expro wins CCUS contract for Japanese blue hydrogen project

Energy services provider, Expro Group, has secured a new carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) contract with Inpex Corporation for the Kashiwazaki clean hydrogen/ammonia project in Japan, it said on January 23.

Expro's role in this project involves providing tubular running services for multiple sections of casing, liner, and tubing over 12 months. The scope of work includes servicing one production well, one injection well, and one monitoring well. 

The Kashiwazaki project aims to produce clean energy from domestically sourced gas. Inpex took the final investment decision on the project in 2022. Work on the project started in July last year.

The project is expected to involve the transportation of natural gas produced at the gas field to the Hirai area using an existing pipeline, and the production of 700 tonnes/year of blue hydrogen. A portion of this hydrogen will be used to produce blue ammonia, and the remaining hydrogen will be utilised for power generation.

The CO2 generated during the production of hydrogen and ammonia will be separated, pressurised, and injected in a subsurface gas reservoir as a CCUS initiative.

According to Inpex, this will be Japan’s first demonstration project integrating blue hydrogen and ammonia production and usage.