Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Steve Byrne: Okay, I’m just curious – yes. Yes. Thank you. With respect to NEOM, have you reassessed whether or not you need to invest downstream in distribution? It’s been three years since you announced that project and you at that time you were thinking you would need to build some downstream pipeline capacity for the green ammonia. Do you have a view now of where you might be able to sell that green hydrogen from NEOM?

Seifi Ghasemi: Yes, we do. And that we have announced some of it, and I can elaborate on that right now. We see a significant demand for that product in Europe because it is – it being very clear with the policies that has been finalized in Europe, that they were not finalized even two years ago. Europe, basically most of Europe, especially Germany has decided to go green. As a result of that, we plan to build at least three terminals in Europe. One in Hamburg, one in Rotterdam, and one in Immingham in England, to bring the product – their ammonia into those ports, associated and then sell it or mobility and for industrial applications. We might add additional terminals. In addition to that, there is a demand, a potential demand for that green hydrogen and other green hydrogen that we might make in the United States.

And we are making in the United States in the State of California, because of the regulations that have been put in place, in terms of conversion to very low-emission vehicles. Therefore, the possibility and another terminal also in California. That is our current plan, but this is a dynamic situation, the regulations around the world continue changing. And as that develops, we will obviously update you. There is significant demand being generated and being discussed in Korea. It is obviously the demand for blue hydrogen in Japan and all of that. But we will update you as we go forward, but that is how we see it today.

Steve Byrne: Thank you.

Seifi Ghasemi: Okay?

Steve Byrne: Yes. Thank you.

Operator: We’ll move to our next question from John Roberts with Credit Suisse. Please go ahead.

John Roberts: Thank you. Hi, Seifi. I’ll just ask one question here. When do you think we’ll get the first conversion of an existing U.S. hydrogen plant from gray to blue?

Seifi Ghasemi: John, that is an excellent question. I can definitely confirm that we are working on that. I do not want to predict an exact time and schedule because we are talking to customers and it is sensitive, and they don’t really want us to talk about these things too much. But as you know better than anybody else, have significant number of SMRs in the United States that generate CO2, and we are very interested in capturing the CO2, from as many of them as possible. And with the help of the IRA and the demand, and the higher prices that people are willing to pay for blue hydrogen, we have a significant opportunity on that. And we will do that. Dr. Serhan, do you want to make any additional comments on that?

Samir Serhan: No, it’s fine. Nothing to add.

Seifi Ghasemi: Thanks.

John Roberts: Right. Thank you.

Seifi Ghasemi: Okay, John?

John Roberts: Thank you.

Operator: Our next question comes from John McNulty with BMO Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

John McNulty: Hi, good morning, Seifi. I wanted to –

Seifi Ghasemi: Good morning, John. How are you doing?