Frontier Energy selects ELS to navigate green hydrogen offtake from Bristol Springs

Originally published by Proactive Investors https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/995069/frontier-energy-selects-els-to-navigate-green-hydrogen-offtake-from-bristol-springs-995069.html

Elisha Newell, Wed 12 October 2022

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX:FHE) has chosen a leading gas and power specialist to help it navigate green hydrogen offtake negotiations surrounding the Bristol Springs Project in Western Australia.

Equity Lifting Solutions Pty Ltd (ELS) has been at the centre of some of the state’s largest energy offtake negotiations and will use that know-how to support Frontier in this new chapter.

Offtake discussions will revolve around Bristol Springs Project’s Stage One green hydrogen hub, which is set to produce 4.4 million kilograms of the clean energy source every year.

Frontier is already in talks with some priority targets, including those involved in the broader energy industry.

“Invaluable intel”

Speaking to the appointment, Frontier managing director Sam Lee Mohan said: “ELS’s experience regarding offtake in the energy sector is exceptional and I’m delighted with the proactive approach they have taken to date.

“ELS’s intimate knowledge of the Western Australia gas industry and the players involved provides invaluable intel.

“We not only want to ensure the strongest financial returns from these offtake negotiations but also ensure we partner with a group for the long term, as we aim to grow the project rapidly in the future.”

Gas pipeline potential

One potential pathway to support green hydrogen offtake is the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP), just 300 metres from the Bristol Springs Project.

The DBNGP is WA’s most significant gas transmission asset and provides natural gas to regional and metropolitan Western Australia.

The pipeline extends from Woodside’s Karratha Gas Plant in the state’s northwest to Bunbury, 170 kilometres south of Perth.

Back in January, pipeline owners Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) published a study designed to identify a practical pathway to enable hydrogen to be blended into the DBNGP.

A key outcome of the study was to identify areas of the pipeline that are already capable of immediate hydrogen blending, as outlined below:

The study concluded that there is now a clear pathway for declaring a pipeline section as suitable for use with hydrogen/natural gas blends.

It also concluded that mainline south, which extends from Kwinana to Bunbury, was an excellent candidate for hydrogen blending.

A branching point connecting to this section of the pipeline is roughly 300 metres from the proposed hydrogen plant at the Bristol Springs Project.

Maximising value for local community

Commenting on the project, Equity Lifting Solutions managing director Ken Chan said hydrogen was a core part of the industry’s rapid transition to low-carbon fuel sources.

“Frontier’s Bristol Springs green hydrogen project will play a critical part in this transition - being strategically located on the doorstep of significant energy demand in Western Australia’s South West and having access to the DBNGP and SWIS.

“The project’s ability to scale allows Frontier to maximise value for the local community and its stakeholders.

“We are incredibly impressed with the Frontier team’s progress on the project and look forward to bringing our 200+ years of collective LNG and Domgas commercialisation experience to the project.”