INPEX, Japan's largest exploration and production company, has embarked on front-end engineering and design (FEED) work for a blue hydrogen production project in Niigata Prefecture. The company plans to utilize its natural gas fields in the region as a feedstock source and depleted reservoir space for carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives. By 2030, INPEX aims to bring three projects online, producing over 100,000 tons of hydrogen and ammonia annually. The hydrogen production plant, with a capacity of 100,000 tons per year, will leverage natural gas from the Minami-Nagaoka Gas Field and LNG imports from Australia. INPEX intends to market the hydrogen to local customers for power generation and heating, with a goal to meet 10% of Japan's domestic energy demand by 2050. CO2 generated during production will be captured and injected into depleted gas fields, enabling the hydrogen to be classified as blue hydrogen. This initiative aligns with INPEX's long-standing involvement in oil and gas exploration, pipeline gas supply, and recent ventures into LNG terminal operations, showcasing a commitment to environmental sustainability and energy transition.