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Trending news: ExxonMobil's clean energy partnership at Houston plant, new CO2 tech, and more

ExxonMobil partners on Baytown ammonia project — and more trending news from this week. Photo via exxonmobil.com

Editor's note: From the Chevron backing energy transition researchers to Baker Hughes's new tool, these are the top headlines that resonated with EnergyCapital readers on social media and daily newsletter this week.

Chevron names inaugural cohort of energy transition graduate students at Rice University

Ten Rice University energy innovators have been selected for the Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowship. Photo by of Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

A new program from Rice University and Chevron has named its inaugural cohort.

Funded by Chevron, the Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowship will provide $10,000 each to 10 Rice graduate students for the current academic year, which supports research in energy-related fields.

The Rice Sustainability Institute (RSI) hosted the event to introduce the inaugural cohort of the Rice Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowship at the Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science. Director of the RSI and the W. Maurice Ewing Professor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Carrie Masiello presented each fellow with a certificate during the ceremony. Continue reading.

Mitsubishi, ExxonMobil announce low-carbon ammonia production partnership in Baytown

ExxonMobil and Mitsubishi are still working out details of the arrangement, such as equity participation in the project and use of the low-carbon ammonia. Photo via exxonmobil.com

Spring-based ExxonMobil has teamed up with Japan’s Mitsubishi to potentially produce low-carbon ammonia and nearly carbon-free hydrogen at ExxonMobil’s facility in Baytown.

ExxonMobil and Mitsubishi are still working out details of the arrangement, such as equity participation in the project and use of the low-carbon ammonia.

“We look forward to furthering our leadership position, alongside Mitsubishi Corporation, to advance low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia globally, helping the world achieve a lower emission future,” Dan Ammann, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, says in a news release. Continue reading.

Baker Hughes launches new digital platform for CCUS operations

Baker Hughes has incorporated a new tech platform for its CCUS operations. Photo via Getty Images

Baker Hughes has announced the debut of its digital platform to track CO2 volumes in real time, CarbonEdge. CarbonEdge utilizes carbon capture utilization and sequestration journey, which includes pipeline flows.

Powered by Cordant, the Houston-based Baker Hughes boasts CarbonEdge is “the first end-to-end, risk-based digital platform for CCUS operations that provides comprehensive support, regulatory reporting, and operational risk management,” according to the company. Continue reading.

Global bank announces new Houston hub for powering energy transition projects

The new Houston office is part of BBVA’s corporate and investment banking unit in the U.S. and will partner with global BBVA cleantech finance teams. Photo via bbva.com

Spanish financial services company BBVA Group has created a hub in Houston for financing energy transition projects in the U.S.

BBVA made the announcement at the first-ever Houston Energy & Climate Week, which the bank sponsored.

“The United States has a unique opportunity to lead the global transition to a more sustainable economy. Our office in Houston, the energy transition capital of the world, will be a key component of our sustainability strategy, complementing and integrated with our New York operations,” Alvaro Aguilar, BBVA’s head of strategic projects in the U.S., says in a news release. Continue reading.

Houston energy company backs decarbonization startup's $12M series A

Houston-based Citroniq Chemicals has secured its series A funding. Photo via Getty Images

A fresh $12 million round of funding will enable Houston-based Citroniq Chemicals to propel planning, design, and construction of its first decarbonization plant.

An unidentified multinational energy technology company led the series A round, with participation from Houston-based Lummus Technology Ventures and cooperation from the State of Nebraska. The Citroniq plant, which will produce green polypropylene, will be located in Nebraska.

“Lummus’ latest investment in Citroniq builds on this progress and strengthens our partnership, working together to lower carbon emissions in the plastics industry,” Leon de Bruyn, president and CEO of Lummus Technology, says in a news release. Continue reading.

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A View From HETI

Ken Nguyen, principal technical program manager at bp, joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss the company's new partnership with NASA. Photo courtesy of bp

Ken Nguyen oversees the implementation of new technologies at bp, which has its United States headquarters in Houston, and that includes software and hardtech, from cybersecurity to the digitization of the industry, which is an integral part of bp's energy transition plan.

"For bp, we do feel like as we transition as an international oil and gas company into an integrated energy company and we lean into the energy transition, the adoption of new technology is a critical part of making that viable for the planet and for the company," he says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

According to Nguyen, principal technical program manager at bp, the company has invested its resources into exploring energy transition technologies like electric vehicle charging — including opening a fast-charging station at its Houston office — and renewable energy, including a solar farm about 10 miles northeast of Corpus Christi.

Another technology bp is keen on is digital twin technology, which can be crucial for enhancing safety for bp personnel and reducing emissions.

Nguyen says digital twin technology "allows us to be able to design and mirror scenarios with real-time variables, such as weather, off-take demands, and volatility."

Recently, in order to explore innovation within these technology verticals, bp and NASA entered into a Space Act Agreement with NASA.

"Houston has always been known as the Space City, and we're also known as the Energy Capital of the World, but there hasn't always been collaboration," Nguyen says. "The challenges that NASA is facing is very similar to the challenges that the oil industry faces — we operate in very harsh environments, safety is the most critical aspect of our operation, and now the economic business model for NASA has changed."

Nguyen explains that while both bp and NASA are navigating similar challenges and changes within their industry, they are going about it in different ways. That's where the opportunity to collaborate comes in.

The partnership, which is still new and not fully fleshed out, will look at collaborative innovation into a few focus areas to start out with, including hydrogen storage and development, AI and general intelligence, robotics, and remote operations

"Houston continues to excel — in energy production and in space exploration — but by coming together," Nguyen says, "and for us to be able to tap into (NASA's) knowledge is tremendous. And we, within oil and gas, have a unique set of skills to blend into that with the hopes being that the city becomes this incubator for technology. The potential is there."

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