North Dakota tribe to supply natural gas to hydrogen plant

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JAMES MacPHERSON

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Natural gas that’s being burned off and wasted as a byproduct of oil production on an American Indian reservation in North Dakota will be used as a feedstock for a proposed plant to produce carbon-free hydrogen, state and industry officials announced Wednesday.

Bakken Energy and Mitsubishi Power Americas announced a memorandum of understanding with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation to be the natural gas supplier for its Great Plains Hydrogen Hub in western North Dakota. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The $2 billion project was announced in June to produce clean hydrogen, which has a variety of uses including powering vehicles and energy generation. Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has hailed the project a key part of the state’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Owners of the hydrogen hub are seeking a $1 billion loan from the Department of Energy for the project. North Dakota is already heavily invested in it. The state’s Industrial Commission, headed by Burgum, approved a $10 million state grant and $80 million loan for the project in December.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-north-dakota-environment-environment-and-nature-e90927b1ee073bf99cdf0b4d9b3cce37

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. Except the process is NOT "carbon free"

The H2 produced has no carbon, but it is made by stripping the carbon out from the hydrocarbon gas, which is then vented into the air.

It is better than letting the methane leak into the air, but not by much.

[NickB79]

2. But they capture the CO2!

And then pump it back underground.......to repressurize oil wells.

To extract more oil.

But yeah, other than that it's totally carbon free. Right.

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. Then it leaks back to the surface as the oil is extracted

But, yeah, carbon free.