Aramco and Linde Engineering have inked a joint agreement to develop a new ammonia cracking technology.

Through this partnership, Aramco and Linde Engineering will combine their expertise and capabilities in industrial research and development, lower-carbon hydrogen, and ammonia cracking technology.

The ammonia cracking catalyst, which was jointly developed by Aramco and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) will possibly be a differentiator for this new technology and will be evaluated against other catalysts.
Aramco and Linde Engineering intend to use the deal to construct a demonstration plant in northern Germany to display this revolutionary ammonia cracking technology. The new lower-carbon ammonia business may prove to be key in tightening the gap between a country’s domestic renewable energy production capacity and total energy demand.
In order to open up new commercial opportunities within the global supply chain for low-carbon energy, Linde Engineering plans to make this new ammonia cracking technology for both current and potential customers.

Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Aramco, said: “This agreement is part of our ongoing technology and business development efforts to establish a commercially viable lower-carbon hydrogen supply chain. We believe the advanced ammonia cracking technology we are co-developing with Linde Engineering will play a key role in realizing our objectives.”

John van der Velden, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Technology at Linde Engineering, said: “Effective ammonia cracking technology supports the world’s urgent need for decarbonization. By completing the missing link in the export chain, cleaner energy can be shipped from regions with high renewable and clean energy potential to those with more limited resources. We look forward to working closely with Aramco to develop and commercialize this important technology, creating new business opportunities for Linde Engineering and Aramco.”