In a strategic move towards enhancing their refining capabilities, PetroVietnam's affiliate Binh Son Refining & Petrochemical JSC (BSR) in Vietnam has entered into a contract with NextChem SPA for the delivery of a new hydrogen production unit (HPU). The HPU, which will be installed at the 6.5-million tonne/year refinery in the Dung Quat Economic Zone of Quang Ngai Province, will incorporate innovative NX Reform technology for hydrogen production. The implementation of NX Reform technology is expected to bring significant environmental benefits, including a lower carbon footprint and higher operational efficiency. This technology will also offer BSR increased flexibility in terms of feedstock and capacity, enhancing their production capabilities. As part of a larger upgrading and expansion project, the refinery aims to boost its crude processing capacity by 30% to 8.5 million tpy. While the exact value and duration of the contract were not disclosed, the project is set to be completed as part of the long-planned Dung Quat Economic Zone refinery upgrade project. Despite not finalizing the main EPC contractor yet, BSR anticipates the project to be operational by 2028, significantly increasing the refinery's crude oil processing capacity and the production of higher-value finished products. BSR's strategic shift towards increased petrochemical production is evident, with plans to focus on producing petrochemical products alongside conventional petroleum products. The refinery has shown impressive progress, achieving record utilization rates in 2023 and highlighting its commitment to operational excellence and expansion in the Vietnamese oil and gas industry.