Air Products, the leading global hydrogen provider, will invest $350-$400 million to build, own and operate a world-scale steam methane reformer in Baytown, Texas.

The SMR will produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide to be supplied to customers from Air Products' Gulf Coast Hydrogen and CO Pipeline Networks. Both product capacities from the new facility are already sold-out ahead of the anticipated plant onstream in 2018, company officials said. The SMR and cold box will produce approximately 125 million standard cubic feet per day of hydrogen and a world-scale supply of carbon monoxide.

"This plant demonstrates to our customers our dedication to providing them with excellent customer service. This SMR strengthens our market-leading position and also Air Products' ability to serve the many customers on our pipeline networks with a new, efficient and reliable source of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which will be owned and operated by Air Products," said Marie Folkes, president, Industrial Gases – Americas at Air Products.

The new SMR will be built through the global hydrogen alliance between Air Products and Technip, a world leader in project management, engineering and construction, company officials said. The plant will feature the latest technology to maximize energy efficiency and reduce emissions, and will include optimal heat integration, which in turn lowers feedstock consumption. The plant configuration and deployed technologies support Air Products' overall sustainability goals of reducing energy consumption and emissions.

Technip provides the design and construction expertise for steam reformers while Air Products provides the gas separation technology. Air Products, through its extensive operating network, and Technip, from its large reference base, also bring effective operational and engineering knowledge to "design-in" high reliability and efficiency. The plants are operated and maintained by Air Products under long-term agreements with customers.