Installation of Blue Hydrogen Production Plants on Existing Offshore Platforms in the Pre-Salt Layer of the Santos Basin May Be a Route for Natural Gas in the Energy Transition

Studies Will Show That Hydrogen Can Be A Pathway to Natural Gas in the Energy Transition and Will Provide Perspectives for the Production of Three Colors of Hydrogen in Brazil: Gray, Blue, and Turquoise

According to the EPBR agency, the studies that the Energy Research Company (EPE) is expected to release in the coming days will explore the possibility of installing blue hydrogen production plants on existing offshore oil and gas platforms in the pre-salt region of the Santos Basin.

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In the interview, it is reported that the CO₂ emitted in the process would be captured and injected into reservoirs, just as is done today with natural gas.

“Studies are still being conducted for CO₂ injection, because we already have the technology in place to inject natural gas into the reservoirs. It is a more acidic gas than natural gas, but studies indicate this possibility,” explains analyst Claudia Bonelli, who participated in the preparation of the EPBR agency’s note.

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The EPE, responsible for the studies, led by the Director of Oil and Gas Studies, Heloisa Borges, informed the EPBR agency that the studies will show that Hydrogen can be a pathway to natural gas in the energy transition and will provide perspectives for the production of three colors of hydrogen in Brazil:

• Gray – produced from the steam reforming of natural gas with carbon emissions into the atmosphere
• Blue – the same process, but with CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) of the emitted CO₂
• Turquoise – obtained from the pyrolysis of natural gas, generating solid carbon, a type of coke that can be repurposed in industrial processes.

Another case study will demonstrate the production of blue hydrogen onshore, where the captured CO₂ would be transported to the pre-salt region for injection into reservoirs.

EDP States That Offshore Wind Energy Production Will Grow This Decade

EDP has already completed the feasibility analyses of its BEHYOND project, which aims to produce green hydrogen from offshore wind energy. Can you imagine producing green hydrogen in the open sea using offshore wind energy? It’s possible! This was the conclusion of the first phase of the BEHYOND project led by EDP, in consortium with TechnipFMC, WavEC, CEiiA, and the Norwegian University USN.

After approximately six months, EDP’s BEHYOND project has finalized the technical-economic feasibility analyses for the generation of green hydrogen from offshore wind energy, meaning in the open sea, where wind resources are greater, according to a statement by the company.

In this phase, which had European funds supporting the innovative nature of the investigation, an analysis of various configurations for an offshore green hydrogen generation module was created, where electrolysis is performed using electricity generated by offshore wind farms, according to those responsible for the EDP project.

According to the company, offshore wind energy production is expected to grow significantly by 2030, and the BEHYOND project demonstrates that there is great potential for dual renewable energy production in the same location, creating synergies in infrastructures, grid points, and energy transport cables to “the mainland”.

EDP Project Will Be Feasible With Investments From Other Companies

According to EDP, the configuration studied in the project can be installed worldwide, generating and transferring green hydrogen on a large scale. This technological development is pioneering in the growth of the fuel’s value chain in the context of a blue economy and could be the solution for expanding the competitiveness of offshore wind energy parks.

The first phase of the company’s project concluded that economic viability will be achieved with advancements in the value chain and the green hydrogen industry, and, in addition, through investments from companies positioning themselves in the market, complemented by innovation support funds.

Increase in Demand for Renewable Energies Will Enable the Project

According to EDP, another way to enable the project will be to promote the industry to accelerate the transition process to renewable energies, expanding the demand for projects like this.

The company coordinated the project through EDP NEW R&D and EDP Innovation, and was also responsible for the strategic assessment of the offshore wind energy and green hydrogen market, the definition of business cases, and the technological innovation required to make the entry of these solutions into the market possible.

The project brings together the company and TechnipFMC, a leading firm in creating offshore engineering projects and solutions, the research centers CEiiA, the University of South-Eastern Norway, and WavEC-Offshore Renewables. Read the full article here.