Saudi Aramco’s goal of producing up to 11 million tonnes of blue ammonia, a carrier of blue hydrogen, by 2030 remains unchanged, the oil major said in a statement on Thursday.

The clarification comes after media reports claimed that the Saudi oil giant was pausing its plans for blue hydrogen, which the company termed “inaccurate”.

Blue hydrogen could cost the equivalent of around $250 a barrel of oil given the existing technology, Bloomberg earlier reported Amin Nasser as saying on a call with analysts.

Aramco continues to work with potential customers and other stakeholders around the world and is making real progress across the blue hydrogen value chain, the statement said.

The oil major is working on receiving the world’s first independent certification with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) for blue ammonia and blue hydrogen production, as well as delivering three shipments of blue ammonia to customers in Asia, it added.

(Writing by D Madhura; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)