Baker Hughes to provide equipment for massive low-carbon ammonia plant

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Baker Hughes will supply equipment for Blue Point Number One, a $4 billion low-carbon ammonia plant being developed in Louisiana. Photo courtesy Technip Energies.

Houston-based energy technology company Baker Hughes has been tapped to supply equipment for what will be the world’s largest low-carbon ammonia plant.

French technology and engineering company Technip Energies will buy a steam turbine generator and compression equipment from Baker Hughes for Blue Point Number One, a $4 billion low-carbon ammonia plant being developed in Louisiana by a joint venture comprising CF Industries, JERA and Mitsui & Co. Technip was awarded a contract worth at least $1.1 billion to provide services for the Blue Point project.

CF, a producer of ammonia and nitrogen, owns a 40 percent stake in the joint venture, with JERA, Japan’s largest power generator, at 35 percent and Mitsui, a Japanese industrial conglomerate, at 25 percent.

The Blue Point Number One project, to be located at CF’s Blue Point ammonia production facility, will be capable of producing about 1.4 million metric tons of low-carbon ammonia per year and permanently storing up to 2.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Construction of the ammonia-making facility is expected to start in 2026, with production of low-carbon ammonia set to get underway in 2029.

“Ammonia, as a lower-carbon energy source, is poised to play a pivotal role in enabling and accelerating global sustainable energy development,” Alessandro Bresciani, senior vice president of energy equipment at Baker Hughes, said in a news release.

Earlier this year, British engineering and industrial gas company Linde signed a long-term contract to supply industrial gases for Blue Point Number One. Linde Engineering Americas is based in Houston.

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The new Carbon Measures coalition will create a framework that eliminates double-counting of carbon pollution and attributes emissions to their sources. Photo via Getty Images.

Major Houston energy companies join new Carbon Measures coalition

green team

Six companies with a large presence in the Houston area have joined a new coalition of companies pursuing a better way to track the carbon emissions of products they manufacture, purchase and finance.

Houston-area members of the Carbon Measures coalition are:

Spring-based ExxonMobil
Air Liquide, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Honeywell, whose Performance Materials and Technologies business is based in Houston.
BASF, whose global oilfield solutions business is based in Houston
Linde, whose Linde Engineering Americas business is based in Houston

Carbon Measures will create an accounting framework that eliminates double-counting of carbon pollution and attributes emissions to their sources, said Amy Brachio, the group’s CEO. The model is expected to take two years to develop, and between five and seven years to scale up, Bloomberg reported.

The coalition wants to create a system that will “unleash markets and competition,” unlock investments and speed up the pace of emissions reduction, said Brachio, former vice chair of sustainability at professional services firm EY.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” said Darren Woods, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil. “The first step to reducing global emissions is to know where they’re coming from — and today, we don’t have an accurate system to do this.”

Other members of the coalition include BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners, Banco Satanader, EY and NextEra Energy.

“Transparent and consistent emissions accounting is not just a technical necessity — it’s a strategic imperative. It enables smarter decisions and accelerates real progress across industries and borders,” said Ken West, president and CEO of Honeywell Energy and Sustainability Solutions.

OCI broke ground on the project in 2022. Photo via oci-global.com

Woodside to acquire clean ammonia project outside of Houston in $2.4B deal

seeing green

Woodside Energy has announced its acquiring a Beaumont, Texas, clean ammonia project that's slated to deliver its first ammonia by 2025 and lower carbon ammonia by 2026.

The agreement is for Woodside to acquire 100 percent of OCI Clean Ammonia Holding and its lower carbon ammonia project in Beaumont in an all-cash deal of approximately $2.35 billion. According to Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill, the acquisition positions Woodside as an early mover in clean ammonia within the energy transition.

“This transaction positions Woodside in the growing lower carbon ammonia market," O’Neill says in a news release. "The potential applications for lower carbon ammonia are in power generation, marine fuels and as an industrial feedstock, as it displaces higher-emitting fuels.

“Global ammonia demand is forecast to double by 2050, with lower carbon ammonia making up nearly two-thirds of total demand," she continues. “This Project exceeds our capital allocation framework targets for new energy projects. Both phases are expected to achieve an internal rate of return above 10 percent and payback of less than 10 years."

OCI broke ground on the project in 2022. It's reportedly the world’s first ammonia plant paired with auto thermal reforming with over 95 percent carbon dioxide capture.

Phase 1 of the project will have a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes per annum and is currently under construction. The first ammonia production will be derived from natural gas and is slated for 2025, with lower carbon ammonia production — derived from natural gas paired with carbon sequestration — is expected in in 2026 following commencement of CCS operations

According to the release, Phase 2 will have the capacity to abate 3.2 million tonnes per annum CO2-e, "or over 60 percent of our Scope 3 abatement target,” O’Neill explains.

Linde will source the nitrogen and lower carbon hydrogen feedstock from its feedstock facility, which is currently under construction with a targeted completion in early 2026. In the meantime, early supply of feedstock for the project will come from various suppliers including Linde. Per the release, CCS services will be provided to Linde by ExxonMobil and are expected to be available in 2026.

The rig stands 225 feet tall and extends 8,000 feet below the subsurface. Photo via exxonmobil.com

ExxonMobil breaks ground on Texas carbon dioxide storage project

digging in

ExxonMobil announced this month that it has officially broken ground on a groundbreaking carbon dioxide storage site.

According to a release from the company, a new rig is currently being used to gather information about an underground site in Southeast Texas. The rig stands 225 feet tall, but more importantly extends 8,000 feet below the subsurface to investigate if the site is a safe place to store carbon underground.

“Everyone’s excited about this appraisal well because we’re literally breaking ground on a new chapter of our work to help reduce industrial emissions,” Joe Colletti, who oversees carbon capture and storage development along the Gulf Coast for Exxon, says in a statement.

Exxon plans to move the rig to other sites in the Gulf Coast in the future for clients Nucor Corp., CF Industries and Linde.

In the last year, Exxon has made agreements with these regional companies to store carbon captured from their operations.

Exxon agreed to transport and permanently store up to 2.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year from Linde’s hydrogen production facility in Beaumont, Texas when it launches in 2025.
Exxon agreed to store up to 2 million metric tons per year of CO2 captured from CF Industries’ ammonia plant in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, starting in 2025.
Exxon agreed to capture, transport and store up to 800,000 metric tons per year of CO2 from Nucor’s direct reduced iron manufacturing site in Convent, Louisiana starting in 2026.

Together, the three agreements represent a total of 5 million metric tons per year that Exxon plans to transport and store for third-party customers.

“Our agreement with Nucor is the latest example of how we’re delivering on our mission to help accelerate the world's path to net zero and build a compelling new business,” Dan Ammann, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, says in a statement over the summer. “Momentum is building as customers recognize our ability to solve emission challenges at scale.”

In addition to the carbon storage agreements, the energy giant also completed the acquisition of Denbury Inc. this month in an all-stock transaction valued at $4.9 billion. The deal adds more than 1,300 miles, including nearly 925 miles of CO2 pipelines in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi to Exxon's CO2 pipeline network.

The deal was first announced this summer.

The Houston energy transition ecosystem is primed for collaborative partnerships – but here's what to keep in mind. Photo courtesy of Digital Wildcatters

Addressing the need for collaboration in Houston's energy transition

Editor's note

When it comes to advancing the energy transition in Houston and beyond, experts seem to agree that collaborations between all major stakeholders is extremely important.

In fact, it was so important that it was the first panel of the second day of FUZE, an energy-focused conference put on by Digital Wildcatters. EnergyCapital HTX and InnovationMap were the event's media partners, and I, as editor of these news outlets, moderated the panel about collaborations.

I wanted to take a second to reflect on the conversation I had with the panelists earlier this week, as I believe their input and expertise — from corporate and nonprofit to startup and investing — was extremely valuable to the greater energy transition community.

Here were my three takeaways from the panel, titled "Collaborative Partnerships: Leveraging synergy in the energy sector."

Early-stage tech startups need bridges to cross their valleys.

The energy transition is a long game — and an expensive one, as Jane Stricker, executive director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative, explains on the panel. And, just like most startups, the path to commercialization and profitability is long — and definitely not promised.

"When you look at innovation and startups, the multiple valleys of death a startup will go through on their journey, we have to find more ways to bridge those valleys and get more technology to get up that mountain and to a place where it can be scaled," she says.

She explains that corporations aren't always good at innovating, but they are impactful about rolling out de-risked technology at a global scale. But the technology has to get to that point first, so it takes a much earlier intervention for corporates — or another entity, like incubators and accelerators — to help in that developmental process.

"In Houston we have the potential to build out that ecosystem — we already have a lot of pieces in place, so it's about connecting the dots," Stricker says. "It's only by all of the different parts of the ecosystem understanding what each other does and what unique role they play in the process that we can really leverage the strengths of each of them to help create those partnerships and opportunities."

As Amy Henry, CEO of EUNIKE Ventures explains, corporates have their own challenges.

"Energy companies themselves have their own valley of death, and from where they are sitting, that's why they need to collaborate," she says on the panel. "And now we're talking about an unprecedented rate of getting technology commercialized."

EUNIKE works as a go between for corporates — almost as an expansion for them, Henry explains, and they are facing a challenging time too.

"Energy companies are just not early adopters of technology," she says. "But they are also going through their own transformation. At the same time, you've had this huge knowledge leakage in terms of all the workforce reduction."

Startups and corporates speak a different language.

Moji Karimi has had several partnerships with corporations with his biotech startup Cemvita Factory, including a recent offtake agreement with United. For Karimi, it's about learning about your corporate partner.

"In partnerships, especially for startups, you need to understand what is the language of love for the company at time," he says on the panel. "Is it growth, is it perception and PR, is it deployment of capital, or is there a specific bottleneck that we can help remove."

For HETI, Striker says they hope to act as a translator between the two parties.

"How do we enable more connectivity between the companies that have a technology that may be of interest to the larger companies looking for a solution?" Striker explains of HETI's mission. "And how do we make sure industry is communicating opening and broadly?"

Now is the time for action.

For Karimi, the solution is simple: More action is needed.

"Generally, we just need to talk less and do more," he says of what he wants to see from corporates, adding that more checks need to be written.

Based on his own experience, Karimi says some corporates are better to work with than others. He says he prefers working with the companies that don't try to mix in their startup pilots with the "bread and butter" of the business.

"Everyone has so much on their plate," he says, giving the example of Oxy Low Carbon Ventures being an offshoot of Oxy's main business.

Karimi says corporates should think of their startup pilots as an opportunity to try something new and different — something they'd never be able to test internally.

David Maher, business development director of Americas at Linde, says now that there's been regulatory framework, Linde knows what to invest in. The company has a particular interest in hydrogen.

"Another big piece of it is scale," Maher says of what Linde thinks about when considering innovative partnerships. "What's great about Houston is we have density and scale already."

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Fervo IPO leads Houston energy transition headlines for April

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Editor's note: The top Houston energy transition news of the month includes Fervo's official steps towards an IPO and Houston universities teaming up for recycling innovation. Below are the five most-read EnergyCapital stories published April 16-30, 2026:

Fervo Energy officially files for initial public offering

Fervo Energy has officially filed for IPO. The Houston-based geothermal unicorn filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17 to list its Class A common stock on the Nasdaq exchange. Fervo intends to be listed under the ticker symbol "FRVO." Continue reading.

Fervo Energy adds former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, other leaders to board

As it prepares for a highly anticipated IPO, Houston-based geothermal power provider Fervo Energy has added four heavyweights to its board of directors. The most notable new board member is Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, Hewlett-Packard, and Spring-based HPE, and former U.S. ambassador to Kenya. She joined the Fervo board as lead independent director. Continue reading.

Tesla's EV Robotaxis officially launch in Texas' largest metros

Tesla’s Robotaxi service has taken to the streets of Houston. In a brief statement Saturday, April 18 on its X social media account, Tesla Robotaxi says the autonomous rideshare service just launched in Texas’ two biggest metro areas — Houston and Dallas. Continue reading.

Halliburton Labs names 4 new clean energy startups to incubator

Four new companies have joined Halliburton Labs, the incubator for early-stage energy and climate startups run by Houston energy giant Halliburton. Halliburton Labs provides the emerging companies with mentorship, industry connections, laboratory access and other resources as they work toward commercialization. Continue reading.

Rice, UH launch joint effort to accelerate plastics recycling solutions

Institutes at two Houston universities are joining forces to help position the city as a global leader in plastics recycling innovation. The Center for Energy Studies (CES) at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the University of Houston’s Energy Transition Institute (UH-ETI) have announced a strategic partnership that aims to develop real-world solutions for plastic recycling. Continue reading.

Houston-area plastics company debuts state-of-the-art headquarters

new hq

Ultra-high-performance plastics company Drake Plastics officially opened its new state-of-the-art, 140,000-square-foot manufacturing center and corporate office in Cypress last month.

Dubbed “Drake HQ, ” the new facility was built to align with Harris County’s clean energy goals and features a 1.3-megawatt solar generation plant designed to offset 50 percent of the plant’s power consumption.

The facility is designed as a “factory ranch,” and is intended to blend in with its natural surroundings. With the expanded campus, Drake says it looks to serve existing and new customers in the semiconductor, aerospace, energy and defense industries.

The new headquarters is designed as a "factory ranch" and features a solar generation plant to offset half of its power consumption. Photo via LinkedIn

“We are thrilled to open the doors of our new headquarters in the area where it all began,” Drake Plastics President Steven Quance said in a news release. “We are honored to have reinvested in the community that has supported our growth and success over the past three decades.”

Drake Plastics cut the ribbon on March 26 at the new facility, which also marked the company’s 30th anniversary in the Cypress area. The company launched in 1996 with four employees and has grown to employ more than 100 staff members, according to a LinkedIn post.

Drake Plastics is a globally recognized leader in ultra-high-performance polymer manufacturing and specializes in extrusion, injection molding, precision machining, machine building, engineering and distribution. According to the company, its new Cypress facilty is one of the largest in the world that processes these high-performance polymers.

Energy expert on powering Texas by leading globally and acting locally

guest column

Texas is known around the world for shaping energy trends, including conservation efforts. As we reflect on Earth Day this month, let’s take a closer look at where Texas is getting things right and where there is still room for improvement.

Texas is the nation’s top producer of energy across oil, gas, wind and solar power. We have built our identity on the idea of leading the world as a powerhouse for energy production, but Texas also has to deliver results to its residents and the United States; otherwise, our global leadership falls flat.

Measuring Texas’ Global Leadership

Texas is the nation’s largest energy producer, leading the U.S. in wind-powered electricity generation and rapidly expanding its solar capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Our state continues to lead nationally in large-scale energy investments, business-friendly policies and abundant natural resources.

Texas is not standing still or simply doing what it has always done. The state recognizes that to stay competitive, we must adapt and change. Diversification in the areas of liquefied natural gas exports and new investments in carbon and hydrogen capture are defining what the next chapter of Texas’ leadership will look like.

Energy leadership requires production, innovation and influence. Together, these will keep Texas as a formidable force in global energy production.

Our Local Texas Reality Is Important, Too

When we zoom in to look more closely at what is happening in Texas, the picture becomes a bit more nuanced. Our energy independence creates both flexibility and vulnerability, especially during major weather events such as winter storms and hurricanes.

Five years later, the effects of Winter Storm Uri remain in many of our minds. Demand for home generators has risen quickly in the state, with Houston leading the way due to grid uncertainty. As our population continues to rise quickly and more data centers are built in the state, grid stability remains a major factor in Texas’ ability to lead in energy innovation to meet the demands of residents.

ERCOT has developed a three-part plan to help mitigate the risk of grid failure during periods of extreme demand or emergencies. While this is an improvement over five years ago, Texas still needs to invest significantly in grid resiliency.

Texas’ Energy Market and Affordability

Often, proponents of our deregulated energy market in Texas hold it up as an example of healthy competition and consumer choice. Lawmakers claim that it gives residents the ability to select an energy plan that best meets their needs.

In practice, however, the market can be difficult to navigate. There are many electricity plans and providers, so residents often feel overwhelmed when navigating the energy market. With fluctuating rates, complex contracts and peak pricing structures, monthly energy bills can be surprising.

Additionally, as utility companies seek to distribute energy infrastructure costs to customers, prices are rising rapidly. According to TEPRI, electricity rates have risen by 30% since 2021, and the organization predicts an additional 29% increase by 2030.

A 60% increase in electricity prices over less than a decade will affect more than 4.1 million LMI (low- to moderate-income) households in Texas. Conservative projections by TEPRI estimate that by 2030, LMI households will pay an additional $863 annually for electricity, representing an electricity-pricing burden of 8.2%.

The energy affordability crisis is just beginning here in Texas, and greater education and proactive legislation are needed to help LMI households navigate the changing market and rising energy costs. LMI households are already choosing between paying for electricity and healthcare for their family members.

If Texas wants to remain a global leader in energy production, innovation, reliability and affordability, the rising cost of energy needs urgent attention.

Grid Resilience Is Mandatory

In addition to energy affordability, Texas frequently experiences extreme weather, making grid resilience foundational to its continued leadership in both local and global markets.

Between 1980 and 2024, Texas experienced 190 weather-related events with financial losses exceeding $ 1 billion. From hurricanes along the Gulf Coast to prolonged heat waves and drought, the state’s energy infrastructure is under increasing strain. These events necessitate that Texas invest in long-term planning and preparedness for its energy infrastructure.

Next Steps for Local Leadership

Texas needs to strengthen every part of its energy infrastructure. Leading locally means strengthening the grid by building out transmission, scaling battery storage, and deploying smarter, more responsive technology. At the same time, we need to make the market easier to navigate and ensure Texans are better educated and protected as they make energy decisions.

Additionally, as Texans become more informed about the energy landscape, it is crucial to equip them with the knowledge to use energy conservation tools such as programmable thermostats, mobile apps to monitor and adjust energy usage, shifting away from peak-hour usage and selecting energy plans without gimmicks or tricky clauses.

These important intersections are where Texas’ global leadership meets local impact in a critical time of change and transition in the Texas energy landscape.

Going Forward

Beyond addressing the critical issues of reliability and affordability at home here in Texas, it is important to recognize that they are also global. While we already export our energy products to the world, we have a unique opportunity to also export solutions in grid innovation, market design and technologies that are applicable to varied environments and markets around the world.

If we get it right, Texas will be known for not only producing energy but also for shaping how energy systems evolve globally. In order for Texas to lead both locally and globally, we need to focus on performance through smarter infrastructure, thoughtful policy and informed consumers.

Because true energy leadership isn’t just about how much we produce, it’s about performance, access and impact from Texas communities to the global stage, which is an imperative that goes far beyond Earth Day.

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Sam Luna is director at BKV Energy, where he oversees brand and go-to-market strategy, customer experience, marketing execution, and more.

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