May 02, 2025 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- EET Fuels, the trading name of Essar Oil Ltd, has successfully completed the installation and connection of a state-of-the-art hydrogen-ready furnace at its Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. The development marks a major milestone in the company’s ambition to become the world’s leading low-carbon process refinery.
Delivered to the Stanlow site in August 2022, the new furnace is now fully operational. It has been designed to operate on 100 percent refinery off gas, a blend of ROG and hydrogen, or 100 percent hydrogen. Initially, the furnace will run on conventional fuels, with a planned transition to 100 percent low-carbon hydrogen by 2028. The hydrogen will be supplied by EET Hydrogen’s HPP1 plant — the UK’s first large-scale low-carbon hydrogen production facility, located at the centre of the HyNet decarbonisation cluster. The plant will be connected to the Liverpool Bay CO₂ transport and storage system, which reached financial close last week.
The installation of the hydrogen-ready furnace represents a significant step towards EET Fuels’ target to reduce its carbon emissions by 95 percent by 2030 — equating to approximately 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. The new furnace will also enhance air quality by significantly reducing NOₓ emissions and improving energy efficiency. When fuelled by conventional ROG, it is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 16,600 tonnes per year; this figure rises to around 200,000 tonnes annually once fully powered by low-carbon hydrogen.
Accounting for roughly 10 percent of the Stanlow refinery’s total energy use, the new furnace replaces three older units. These furnaces are vital to refining operations, as they heat crude oil and other feedstocks to facilitate the separation and purification processes that yield a variety of refined products.
Commenting on the achievement, Deepak Maheshwari, CEO at EET Fuels, said:“Decommissioning three old furnaces and connecting this new highly efficient hydrogen-ready furnace to our refinery is a significant milestone for EET Fuels. Not only will the new furnace deliver an immediate reduction in CO₂ emissions, it will deliver an even bigger reduction once fully powered with low carbon hydrogen. It’s a major milestone in the delivery of our decarbonisation strategy.”
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