Mexico

Mexico

Expropriates the hydrogen production plant U-3400

18 Apr 2024

On 18 April 2024, the Ministry of Energy issued a decree expropriating the hydrogen plant from French company, Air Liquide. The plant, known as U-3400, is located inside the Tula oil refinery owned by the Mexican State oil company Pemex in the state of Hidalgo. The plant was owned and operated by Air Liquide Mexico, a subsidiary of the French company Air Liquide, which had purchased it from Pemex under a sale agreement. Pemex had granted Air Liquide the land where the plant is located through a gratuitous bailment (lease) agreement.

The stated justification was that the hydrogen produced is fundamental for operating the Tula refinery to produce gasoline and diesel, which are considered essential for national energy security. The decree cited increasing global hydrogen demand as another reason to take control of the plant's production capacity.

  • Type:
    • Treatment and operation (Nationalizations and expropriations)
  • Industry:
    • Manufacturing (Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products)
  • Sources:
    • DOF, Decreto por el que se expropia por causa de utilidad pública la planta productora de hidrógeno U-3400, ubicada en la fracción de terreno de 6,451.78 m², en el interior de la refinería Miguel Hidalgo, , https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/5723743, 18 Apr 2024