GS Caltex and Namhae Chemical Collaborate on 'Carbon-Free Steam' in Yeosu... Annual Carbon Reduction of 70,000 Tons

Restarting Idle Sulfuric Acid Plant to Produce Carbon-Free Steam
Recycling Refinery By-Product Sulfur... Establishing a Circular Model
Facility Construction to Begin Next Year, Aiming for Commercial Supply in 2027

GS Caltex and Namhae Chemical are establishing a carbon-free steam circulation model within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex.

The two companies announced on the 3rd that they had signed a 'Carbon-Free Steam Introduction and Supply Agreement' at GS Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 31st of last month. This is a concrete outcome achieved 10 months after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for business cooperation in December of last year. The core of this project is to restart Namhae Chemical's idle sulfuric acid plant and supply the carbon-free steam produced there to the GS Caltex Yeosu plant.

Huh Sehong, President of GS Caltex (left), and Kim Changsoo, President of Namhae Chemical, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing the 'Carbon-Free Steam Introduction and Supply Agreement' on the 31st of last month at GS Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. GS Caltex

GS Caltex will supply 'sulfur,' a byproduct generated during the crude oil refining process, to Namhae Chemical. Namhae Chemical will then use this sulfur as a raw material to manufacture sulfuric acid, and produce steam using the heat energy from the exothermic reaction that occurs during this process. This steam will replace liquefied natural gas (LNG)-based steam, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 70,000 tCO₂eq (tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) annually.

The two companies plan to begin construction of steam pipelines, remodeling of the sulfuric acid plant, and building new sulfuric acid tanks early next year, with the goal of commencing commercial supply in 2027.

Huh Sehong, President of GS Caltex, stated, "This collaboration is a great example of companies leveraging each other's strengths to discover new opportunities for carbon reduction together. I hope both companies will grow into strong partners, creating a better future for the industry together."

This collaboration is evaluated as a case that goes beyond simply restarting idle facilities, creating a sustainable reduction model through win-win cooperation between companies within the Yeosu Industrial Complex. GS Caltex, through its company-wide collaborative council, the 'Business Council,' had been discussing low-carbon transition strategies for energy sources at the Yeosu plant, and identified the potential for a sulfuric acid plant utilizing refinery byproduct sulfur to produce carbon-free steam.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.