Essar Oil UK’s Cheshire oil refinery has taken delivery of the first hydrogen-powered furnace at a refinery anywhere in the UK. The principal component of the furnace 18.5 metres tall, 26.5 metres long and 14.2 metres wide started 6,000-mile journey began in May in Thailand and arrived at Liverpool Port, before being transported by barge down the Manchester Ship Canal.The furnace is the first of its kind in the UK, capable of running on a 100% hydrogen source and will replace three existing furnaces at Stanlow.Hydrogen used by the new furnace from 2026 will be produced by Vertex Hydrogen, a joint venture launched in January between Essar and Progressive Energy, located on-site at Stanlow and part of the HyNet North West low carbon cluster. Once fully operational in 2023, it will improve energy efficiency at Stanlow compared with existing furnaces, helping to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 240,000 tonnes each year from 2026, while simultaneously reducing maintenance costs.
Essar Oil UK’s Cheshire oil refinery has taken delivery of the first hydrogen-powered furnace at a refinery anywhere in the UK. The principal component of the furnace 18.5 metres tall, 26.5 metres long and 14.2 metres wide started 6,000-mile journey began in May in Thailand and arrived at Liverpool Port, before being transported by barge down the Manchester Ship Canal.The furnace is the first of its kind in the UK, capable of running on a 100% hydrogen source and will replace three existing furnaces at Stanlow.Hydrogen used by the new furnace from 2026 will be produced by Vertex Hydrogen, a joint venture launched in January between Essar and Progressive Energy, located on-site at Stanlow and part of the HyNet North West low carbon cluster. Once fully operational in 2023, it will improve energy efficiency at Stanlow compared with existing furnaces, helping to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 240,000 tonnes each year from 2026, while simultaneously reducing maintenance costs.
