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29 min ago 2 min read
Global energy company Woodside does not expect to begin blue ammonia production at its Beaumont plant in Texas until 2027.
The company confirmed the target date in its Q1 financial results after assuming control of the 1.1-million-tonnes-per-year facility in March, after it began producing unabated ammonia in December 2025.
Woodside was originally due to take over operations of the plant after carbon capture capabilities were brought online. The firm originally said carbon capture would come online “
The Beaumont plant relies on hydrogen supplied by Linde from an autothermal reforming facility with integrated carbon capture capabilities. Linde has agreements with ExxonMobil to transport and store captured carbon dioxide (CO2).
Woodside said delays at “third-party industrial gas suppliers” were behind the production delay. During a Q4 2025 earnings call in February, Linde CEO Sanjiv Lamba said he expected the Beaumont start-up to be phased through 2026.
However, on its website, Woodside said lower-carbon ammonia production depends on having carbon-reduced hydrogen available and ExxonMobil’s CCS facility up and running.
Despite this, Woodside shipped its first grey ammonia cargo in February 2026, with sales including both spot and term volumes to US barges and international vessels.
In November, ExxonMobil paused plans for its blue hydrogen production plant in Texas.
At the time, CEO Darren Woods reportedly told Reuters that the company had struggled to secure sufficient offtake from the one billion cubic feet per day plant, which was targeting a 2027–2028 start-up.
Since then, ExxonMobil and its Denbury carbon capture unit have faced an expanded antitrust lawsuit in Texas, after a blue ammonia developer alleged they used control of a CO2 pipeline to block a rival project.
Filed by start-up Clean Hydrogen Works, it alleges Exxon used control of a CO2 pipeline – after acquiring hydrocarbon exploration company Denbury – to force the termination of existing agreements and block a rival project.
Exxon has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
The confirmed blue ammonia production date follows previous warnings from Woodside that demand for low-carbon ammonia was growing more .
