German gases and engineering group Linde and Finnish refiner Neste Oil have agreed on a long-term on-site hydrogen supply contract. This calls for Linde to build a new hydrogen production unit for Neste''s Porvoo refinery near Helsinki. Total investment value for the two companies is about €100 million.

The new contract is an expansion of an existing supply relationship at the Porvoo site, where Linde provides Neste Oil with air gases while obtaining in return off-gas CO₂ for subsequent purification.

The refinery already has two hydrogen production units with the older now due for replacement by a more efficient unit. Linde will build the turnkey plant, and its North European subsidiary AGA will be responsible for the operation of the new unit planned to come on stream in 2016.

Neste Oil's President & CEO Matti Lievonen said the joint investment with Linde will improve the reliability and flexibility of the refinery. The hydrogen produced from natural gas in a steam reforming process will be used at the refinery in many processes and products.