Staff report

Vallourec, a multinational steel manufacturer with its main U.S. plant in Youngstown and Girard, announced Tuesday the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Baker Hughes, an energy technology company.

With headquarters in Houston and London, Baker Hughes focuses on advancing hydrogen storage solutions for the green hydrogen market.

The collaboration is intended to build a closer, long-term cooperation to better serve customers across the industrial green hydrogen value chain — including green ammonia, sustainable fuels and green steel manufacturing — as well as the clean power sector, such as data centers, Vallourec said in a news release.

The agreement includes the future integration of Vallourec’s Delphy storage solution with Baker Hughes compression solutions. The areas of collaboration will focus on optimizing compression-storage configurations, determining the most efficient operating pressures for each application and helping customers reduce total cost of ownership while increasing their competitiveness.

“Our capabilities are highly complementary, particularly as Baker Hughes holds strong expertise in compression, a critical step before the storage of compressed hydrogen,” said Philippe Guillemot, Vallourec CEO and board chairman. “This cooperation confirms Vallourec’s strategy to develop relationships along the value chain and commitment to bringing green hydrogen, at scale, for industry decarbonization.”

Delphy is Vallourec’s market-ready underground hydrogen storage solution, capable of storing up to 100 tons of green hydrogen gas vertically. Engineered to combine high-pressure performance, minimal surface footprint, and industry-leading safety, this Vallourec’s turnkey solution has already received international certification.

Vallourec said the collaboration with Baker Hughes is a new step in establishing Vallourec as a key player in the green hydrogen value chain.

Listed on Euronext exchange in Paris, Vallourec closed Tuesday at 18.78 Euros ($22.26 U.S.) and at $4.54 on the over-the-counter market in the U.S., listed as Vallourec ADR. Baker Hughes, appearing on the Nasdaq GS board closed at $59.86 Tuesday.