Hazer Group Ltd. (Perth, Australia) has entered into a binding Alliance Agreement with KBR, Inc. (Houston) for the commercial deployment and licensing of Hazer’s proprietary methane pyrolysis technology. Methane pyrolysis is also colloquially known as “turquoise hydrogen” and is an area of great interest in providing lower-carbon hydrogen economically.
KBR brings a strong track record in commercializing breakthrough industrial technologies. Notable partnerships include ExxonMobil for next-generation catalyst development, and Mura Technology (including a $100 million strategic investment) to scale its proprietary plastic recycling solution world-wide.
Under the Alliance, KBR will be Hazer’s exclusive global partner for the marketing, licensing and deployment of Hazer technology to customers in the ammonia and methanol markets. KBR and Hazer will also work closely to pursue licensing opportunities in decarbonizing hydrogen markets beyond these exclusive markets.
KBR’s President Sustainable Technology Solutions, Jay Ibrahim, said: “KBR’s proven global expertise in deploying sustainable technology solutions complements Hazer’s leading methane pyrolysis technology, making us ideal partners. Our market assessment and due diligence have highlighted Hazer’s potential to decarbonize the global ammonia and methanol sectors. We are excited to partner with Hazer to provide a compelling low-carbon hydrogen production solution to meet growing global demand.”
Hazer’s CEO and Managing Director, Glenn Corrie, said: “We are excited to be joining forces with KBR to commercialize Hazer’s world-leading clean hydrogen technology on the global stage. This is a transformational transaction for Hazer coming at a critical time when the world urgently needs affordable, low-emissions hydrogen to decarbonize legacy hard-to-abate industries. Building on the momentum of our successful Commercial Demonstration Plant and technology test program, which laid the foundations of commercialization last year, this partnership represents a strong endorsement and the next logical step in delivering on our strategic roadmap and unlocking long-term value for shareholders. KBR has the scale, capability and reputation to help accelerate the deployment of Hazer’s technology at industrial scale. We see immediate potential in the ammonia and methanol sectors – industries with significant CO2 footprints and strong demand for clean alternatives. KBR’s market leadership, global reach and execution strength make them an ideal partner to bring our vision to life.”
Under the Alliance, Hazer and KBR will collaborate on the up-scaling, marketing and licensing of the Hazer technology for commercial deployment. Under the terms of the agreement, KBR will be Hazer’s exclusive licensing partner for the ammonia and methanol markets while working closely in other hydrogen sectors. The initial term of the Alliance is six (6) years with an option to extend subject to the achievement of performance metrics. The parties have agreed to collaborate on the development of a design package for Hazer facilities targeting hydrogen capacities of 50,000+ metric tons per year (m.t./yr), as well as the global sales, marketing and licensing of Hazer’s technology. Hazer will be KBR’s exclusive methane pyrolysis technology provider.
Under the Alliance, Hazer’s technology will deliver clean and affordable hydrogen supply as the critical feedstock for the ammonia and methanol industries. With KBR’s market leadership, the Alliance enables the Hazer Process to be positioned as a “bolt-on” low-emissions alternative for both existing (brownfield) and new (greenfield) deployments across a large global market.