Page 12 - AsianOil Week 24 2022

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C-Zero closes $34mn complex in Ulsan,” said Brian (Byung Suk)
EAST ASIA our plans to build a hydrogen value chain
Kyushu Electric Power financing round led by SK Yoon, CEO of SK Gas. “SK Gas strongly
believes in the potential of methane pyrolysis
withdraws from feasibility Gas to build pilot natural and its ability to help countries like Korea in
their decarbonization efforts by producing
study on the LNG-fired gas decarbonisation plant low-cost, clean hydrogen.”
“We see significant applications for
thermal power plant C-Zero, a clean energy company that has low-carbon hydrogen production through
developed a technology for natural gas
methane pyrolysis which complement Engie’s
in Sodegaura, Chiba decarbonisation, announced today that it has existing activities and skill sets. Investing early
closed a $34mn dollar financing round led by
on in C-Zero’s journey brings us familiarity
Prefecture SK Gas, a subsidiary of South Korea’s second- with the technology, and could help Engie
largest conglomerate, the SK Group. SK Gas
achieve its goal of Net Zero by 2045” said
In September 2019, Kyushu Electric was joined by two other new investors - Engie Johann Boukhors, managing director of Engie
Power Co. and Tokyo Gas Co. (director, New Ventures and Trafigura, one of the New Ventures.
representative CEO and president, Takashi world’s largest physical commodities trading “Trafigura is backing C-Zero as part
Uchida) established Chiba-Sodegaura Power companies - in addition to participation from of a series of investments in clean energy
Co. to conduct a feasibility study on the joint all existing investors including Breakthrough technologies, including low-carbon fuels
development of a gas-fired thermal power Energy Ventures, Eni Next, Mitsubishi Heavy needed for the energy transition. C-Zero is
plant in Sodegaura City, Chiba Prefecture. Industries and AP Ventures. reaching a critical stage with the construction
However, amidst the turbulent conditions The funding will be used to build C-Zero’s of its first pilot plant to successfully
of the global energy situation and after having first pilot plant, which is expected to be online demonstrate the production of low-carbon
conducted a comprehensive assessment of the in Q1 2023. The plant will be capable of hydrogen from natural gas,” said Julien
various circumstances surrounding the LNG producing up to 400kg of hydrogen per day Rolland, head of power and renewables for
power plant project, including the fuel and from natural gas with no CO2 emissions. Trafigura.
electricity markets, Kyushu Electric Power has “We are excited to be scaling up our C-ZERO, June 16, 2022
decided to discontinue investing resources innovative technology with experienced
in the ongoing feasibility study. Being faced investors and partners who recognize
with these conditions, Kyushu Electric the need to decarbonize natural gas and OCEANIA
Power has concluded that there is no choice the opportunity that turquoise hydrogen
but to withdraw from the project located in production represents,” said Eric McFarland, WA-designed offshore
Sodegaura. CTO of C-Zero. “Natural gas provides a
We would like to thank everyone for quarter of the world’s energy, so the scale of inspection system pushes
their understanding and support in the the opportunity ahead of us is enormous. But
development of this project. we cannot do it alone.” frontier of robotics
KYUSHU ELECTRIC POWER CO., June 15, 2022 “We are eager to bring C-Zero’s technology
to Korea, where we see great synergies with Woodside has collaborated with industry
to create a state-of-the-art offshore caisson
cleaning and inspection tool (CCAIT system)
that allows safe and cost-effective remote
inspection of critical equipment on its
offshore platforms.
The one-of-a-kind system was designed,
developed and deployed in less than 12
months via a collaboration led by Woodside
Energy (Woodside) and incorporating Perth-
based expertise from Nexxis, Monadelphous,
WOMA, and Fugro.
The CCAIT system incorporates a human-
sized robot, designed to inspect the inside of
caissons - vertical carbon steel pipes up to 70
metres long and up to 1.2 metres wide. These
structures are used on offshore platforms to
house critical equipment such as firewater and
seawater lift pumps.
In response to possible COVID-related
supply chain risks, a local solution was sought,
inspiring the collaboration.
The CCAIT system is remotely controlled
from a safe location on an offshore platform
by skilled technicians.
The tool is lowered inside the caisson via

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