Essar Oil UK (EOUK), the leadingUK-focused downstream energy company, announces plans to install a new £45-millionfurnace at Stanlow that is capable of using hydrogen as its fuel source – a UKfirst. This marks another significant milestone in Essar’s continued commitmentto becoming the UK’s first low carbon refinery. It follows the launch of VertexHydrogen last month, a new Essar-led joint venture, in which the company willinvest £1.0-billion over the next five years to drive down emissions, includingthe development of new hydrogen production plants at Stanlow, forming a centralpart of the HyNet North West decarbonisation cluster.

The scheme (which is subject toplanning approval) comprises the decommissioning of three existing furnaces(which include a chimney of approximately 140m in height) and their replacementwith a single, highly efficient furnace, which includes a chimney ofapproximately 71m in height.

The scheme will provide a number ofimprovements that will lead to benefits for Stanlow and the surrounding area,including lower carbon emissions due to gas-only firing and new burners thatemit lower levels of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and future-proofing to enable the useof sustainable fuel types in the future, such as hydrogen. The furnace iscurrently being fabricated in Thailand.

The largest single module is 26.5metres long, by 18.5 metres tall, by 14.5 metres and the furnace will bedelivered on site almost fully constructed. Set to be installed in 2022, thefurnace will become fully operational next year.