H2SITE, a technology company specialising in advanced hydrogen production and separation solutions, has signed a strategic agreement with refinery major Petronor to deploy high-efficiency hydrogen separation technology at its refinery.
This marks a significant step toward lower-carbon industrial operations.
The partnership will deliver a First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) unit that integrates H2SITE’s proprietary membrane technology directly into the Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) process. The aim is to boost hydrogen recovery, improve plant efficiency, expand CO₂ capture potential, and strengthen overall refinery performance and competitiveness.
Engineering and operations teams from Petronor are working alongside H2SITE’s technical specialists, combining deep refinery expertise with advanced membrane reactor innovation. The collaboration is positioned as a bridge between established industrial infrastructure and next-generation hydrogen production technology.
“Partnering with Petronor allows us to demonstrate, at refinery scale, how our membrane reactor can be integrated downstream of existing reformers to recover more hydrogen while lowering net energy demand.
"This FOAK installation is designed to prove a repeatable scale-up route, improve process yields, and de-risk rapid commercial roll-out,” said Andrés Galnares, CEO of H2SITE.
Petronor framed the project as a core part of its industrial transformation strategy, focused on efficiency, emissions reduction, and long-term competitiveness.
“Collaborating with H2SITE represents a significant step forward in our roadmap toward more efficient and lower-carbon refining operations. By integrating advanced membrane technology into our existing assets, we aim to optimise hydrogen management, enhance CO₂ capture potential, and reinforce the competitiveness of our industrial facilities.
"This project reflects our commitment to innovation and to accelerating the transformation of the refining sector toward more sustainable models,” said José Ignacio Zudaire, CEO of Petronor.
The FOAK installation is expected to serve as a blueprint for future scale-up across refinery operations, potentially reshaping how hydrogen is produced and recovered in large industrial systems.
