Air Liquide announces projects in Freeport, Texas

Air Liquide’s Large Industries U.S. LP today announced two new projects in Freeport, Texas for its Gulf Coast Pipeline (GCPL) and Hydrogen/Syngas businesses.

The first project, which went on-line in March 2013, built upon existing facilities in Freeport, and has increased the supply of hydrogen purification and compression capacity to Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline system. This Freeport location was the site of the first hydrogen facility in the U.S. for Air Liquide and continues to be an integral hub for Air Liquide today.

The second project, anticipated to go on-line in 2014, involves the construction of a new liquid oxygen storage and vaporization facility at the Freeport air separation unit (ASU) complex to supply oxygen to the GCPL pipeline network. This new installation represents an increase of nearly 25 percent over current storage and vaporization capacities on the GCPL.

Said Roger Perreault, President, Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP, “Our pipeline networks provide value to our customers by optimizing production and delivery. These projects are a great example of our ability to react quickly to increasing customer demand. The projects also demonstrate our commitment to continued growth through targeted investments in our infrastructure.”

Hydrogen gas is used by refiners to produce cleaner burning fuels, among other industrial uses. Government regulations calling for reductions in fuel emissions have increased demand for hydrogen. Growth in industrial gas demand is also anticipated as a result of the cost advantages resulting from low-priced natural gas.