BOC Progresses with Grassroot Hydrogen Plant in the Midwest

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). The BOC Group Incorporated (Murray Hill, New Jersey), a subsidiary of The BOC Group PLC, United Kingdom (LSE: UK:BOC), is anticipating the completion of civil site construction for a grassroot hydrogen plant being constructed in Lemont, Illinois. This new plant will be located adjacent to a petroleum refinery owned and operated by Citgo Petroleum Corporation in Lemont.

Hydro-Chem (Canton, Georgia) has been awarded a turn-key contract to construct this new plant that will produce approximately 20 million cubic feet per day of hydrogen. Construction only began recently and civil work is scheduled for completion by the end of November with mechanical construction beginning next spring once the winter season has passed.

As reported several times this year by Industrialinfo.com (See related articles; Recent Engineering Contract for Texas Unit Spotlights Worldwide Hydrogen Growth Trend and Hydrogen Demand Continues to Increase Globally", the demand for hydrogen will continue to rise as petroleum refiners are forced to increase the production of clean fuels for use in automobiles. "Although there are a significant number of hydrogen projects being proposed or constructed by chemical companies across the U.S., there is an even larger number of refiners that are increasing the production capacity of hydrogen from within the boundaries of the refinery," commented Trey Hamblet, Chemical Group Manager with Industrialinfo.com. "This means vendors and supplies interested in pursuing this trend will need to keep a close eye on refinery capital projects over the next two or more years," Mr. Hamblet added.