Equinor-led alliance advances US decarbonisation

Norway’s Equinor said February 3 it had formed an alliance with several major American companies, including producer EQT and GE Gas Power, to lead the decarbonisation of industries in the northern Appalachian region of the US.

The alliance – Equinor, EQT, GE Gas Power, Marathon Petroleum, Mitsubishi Power, Shell Polymers and US Steel – will work with other stakeholders to create a low-carbon and hydrogen industrial hub in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia that “can be a national model for sustainable energy and production systems,” Equinor said.

“Effective implementation of this industrial hub and its associated infrastructure development could generate thousands of new jobs, protect current jobs, and help achieve significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions,” Equinor said.

Earlier this week, the Norwegian company said it would collaborate with science and technology services provider Battelle to explore the development of a decarbonised regional energy cluster in the same area, with a focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities.

This latest alliance will also focus on CCS, but will also bring hydrogen production and utilisation into the picture, an undertaking that will require new levels of public-private partnerships across borders and sectors.

“The alliance is working to establish a collaborative network to directly engage industry, labor, universities, communities, government, research institutions, non-profit organisations and other groups in these efforts,” Equinor said.

Several of the alliance participants are already active in the Appalachian region: Shell is building a world-scale petrochemical cluster northwest of Pittsburgh, EQT is the largest gas producer in the US, with virtually all of its production coming from the Marcellus and Utica shales in the Appalachian basin, US Steel is headquartered in Pittsburgh and has extensive steel-making capacity in the area, and Marathon Petroleum, through its MPLX subsidiary, has extensive natural gas and natural gas liquids midstream operations throughout the basin.

“With an abundance of natural resources, industrial capabilities, and a highly-skilled workforce, the Appalachian region is poised to meet America’s energy needs while leading the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Chris Golden, Equinor’s US country manager. “Equinor is committed to achieving net zero emissions, and we’re proud to work together with this alliance of ambitious companies to realise this opportunity.”