Letter on hydrogen: A return to the old, new blueprint
Saudi Aramco’s blue hydrogen progress is a clear reminder that energy companies pivoting in search of greater returns may not be throwing the H₂ baby out with the bathwater
Headlines suggest hydrogen-pioneering European energy firms such as BP, Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell are in full-scale retreat. However, Saudi Aramco, the clear bellwether in oil, sees an opportunity to be the standout leader in producing the more challenging molecule. The solution is always what it has been: blue, not green. Blue hydrogen, produced by breaking down natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, fits with an oil and gas company’s core business because companies such as Aramco can capture and store the CO₂, effectively providing a low-carbon solution at costs that do not break the bank. Hydrogen can also by synthesised with nitrogen to provide blue ammonia, a cheaper and
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25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
