Algeria’s Sonatrach and Eni to explore hydrogen production

Eni (Italian multinational oil and gas company) and Sonatrach (Algerian national state-owned oil company) have signed several MoUs, including exploring cooptation on hydrogen, H2Bulletin reports.

Claudio Descalzi, the Chief Executive Officer of Eni, and Toufik Hakkar, the President General Manager of Sonatrach, signed several agreements, including the exploration and production, R&D, decarbonisation and training at the Eni headquarter in San Donato Milanese, Italy.

Both companies have agreed to develop the partnership in the new technologies sector, focusing on renewable energy, biofuels and hydrogen. Eni has been present in Algeria since 1981 and operates 48 mining permits. The agreement aims to strengthen the cooperation between the two companies in the technological field and support the decarbonisation path for the transition towards a low carbon future.

Both companies also agreed for cooperation between Eni Corporate University and the Institut Algerien du Petrole to implement training programs in the Upstream and new technologies related to the energy transition fields.

Mr Descalzi said, “Today’s agreements represent the commitment made by our companies to strengthen a historic partnership, in compliance with a shared strategy to accelerate the development of decarbonisation projects as part of our commitment of achieving our carbon neutrality goal.”

Eni claims to be the largest producers and consumers of hydrogen in Italy and has been using hydrogen as a feedstock in traditional refining processes. It also uses hydrogen for making hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuels in its Venice and Gela biorefineries. Most of its hydrogen generated through steam methane reforming (SMR).

Eni has been involved in various hydrogen production projects, including Adriatic Blue’ project for blue hydrogen; its R&D on developing kGas technology aims to convert natural gas into syngas and hydrogen; in its Venice refinery, it is working on a Waste-to-Hydrogen project, based on innovative gasification technology. For green hydrogen, Eni and Enel, agreed to develop green hydrogen projects, where two electrolysers’ plants of 10 MW each will be developed near Eni refineries expected to start producing green hydrogen by 2023. It is also involved Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and Snam for the decarbonisation of the energy system to develop the production, transportation and marketing of green hydrogen.

Several African countries, particularly those in close proximity with Europe, have been trying to benefit from the European Green Deal through partnerships with European energy companies for green hydrogen production. Tunisia and Morocco have been at the forefront of developing such partnerships by offering their renewable resources.