OXEA and Air Liquide have reinforced their long-standing industrial alliance with a 12-year contract extension for the supply of synthesis gas and hydrogen at the Industrial Park Ruhrchemie Oberhausen, a major chemical hub in Germany.
The renewed agreement strengthens supply security for OXEA’s global operations and underpins its strategy to expand its Oxo Intermediates portfolio while accelerating growth in Oxo Performance Chemicals. It also secures continued investment momentum at one of Air Liquide’s most important production sites in Germany.
As part of the deal, Air Liquide will invest more than €20 million to modernize its existing Partial Oxidation (POX) unit. The upgrade is designed to reinforce long-term operational reliability at a facility capable of producing 340,000 tonnes of syngas and hydrogen annually.
Built on decades of activity at Ruhrchemie Oberhausen—one of Europe’s key centers for oxo chemistry—the partnership supports the stable supply of critical feedstocks used across coatings, lubricants, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical value chains. The strengthened infrastructure is expected to improve asset utilization while enabling expansion into higher-value downstream applications.
Sustainability remains a central pillar of the site’s development. A carbon capture and liquefaction unit connected to the POX system has already reduced CO₂ emissions by 50% since 2021, with captured carbon dioxide repurposed for use in the food and beverage industry, reinforcing circular economy practices at scale.
Albrecht Schwerin, Chief Operating Officer at OXEA, said: “The renewal of this contract reaffirms the critical role of long-term partnerships in ensuring the stability and growth of our production processes. We value the close cooperation with Air Liquide, which enables us to maintain the highest standards of safety and efficiency while driving forward innovative projects.”
Jorge Castro Roldan, Vice President of Global Procurement at OXEA, said: “The extension of this agreement bolsters the resilience of our core Intermediates platform and supports the continued growth of our Oxo Performance Chemicals portfolio.
"By securing a more robust and reliable supply of critical feedstocks through targeted investments, we are enhancing asset utilization, enabling downstream value creation, and reinforcing our ability to deliver consistent performance and long-term value to our customers.”
Air Liquide has supported the Oberhausen site since the late 1960s, producing oxygen, nitrogen, and argon there for decades. Since 2010, it has also operated the POX unit supplying syngas and hydrogen.
Sebastian Jureczek, Managing Director of Air Liquide in Germany, stated: “Since 2010, Air Liquide has operated the Partial Oxidation plant in Oberhausen to produce synthetic gas and hydrogen, and today we are proud to extend this long-standing journey with OXEA.
"This contract renewal and our 20-million-euro investment in Oberhausen will ensure the highest standards of safety and supply reliability. This partnership also reinforces the Group’s commitment to the Oberhausen site as a high-performance hub in Germany, driven by industrial innovation and sustainable solutions.”
The agreement marks a 12-year commitment to operational excellence, supply resilience, and lower-carbon industrial production at one of Germany’s most strategically important chemical manufacturing locations.
