Industrial gas companies continue to supply large quantities of hydrogen through their onsite pipeline (OSP) business used by oil and gas refineries, basic and specialty chemical manufacturers, and food processors.
The greatest demand for hydrogen continues to be the petroleum sector, where strict environmental regulations for clean air in North America and Europe require lower sulfur fuels. Industrial gas companies work with refiners to improve value through managing their energy systems so that they are more efficient and meet these government regulations.
From 2000 through 2012, before the rise in natural gas and crude oil production from extensive North American shale plays, US petrochemical operators engaged in a cycle of capacity shutdowns and expansions dictated by the availability and economics of processing either light or heavy sour crudes. After more than 15 years of plant closures, retrofits, and incremental expansions, however, producers have embraced light feeds.
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