Prospective carbon capture and utilization projects may be losing some federal funding support, but the need for carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the industrial sector is doubling down along the U.S. coast with the Gulf of Mexico.
Industrial gas production firm Linde is expanding capacity at its Freeport, Texas CO₂ plant with the addition of a second liquefaction facility. The new plant, operational from 2027, will liquefy crude CO₂ captured from MEGlobal America’s Oyster Creek ethylene glycol facility. The ethylene glycol facility is supplied with oxygen from Linde's Freeport air separation plant.
The increased capacity will help Linde meet growing industry demand for reliable CO₂ supply across diverse applications, including carbonating beverages, preserving food quality, manufacturing dry ice, producing low carbon fuels and chemical synthesis processes. The applications require a reliable supply of CO₂ meeting safety and quality standards.
“Today’s announcement underscores Linde’s commitment to supporting industrial growth across the Gulf Coast,” said Amer Akhras, Vice President South Region, Linde. "Our investment further strengthens Linde's robust CO₂ network, enabling reliable supply to customers throughout the region while positioning us for future growth."
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy confirmed it was terminating $3.7 billion in previously awarded funding decisions around decarbonization projects, most of which were announced during the Biden Administration. The terminated funding included projects for carbon capture and use of CO₂ in industrial work, such as cement.
The global beverage and food-grade CO₂ market is estimated at more than $4 billion annually, according to multiple sector analysts.
Linde’s U.S. operations generated more than $3.6 billion in sales for the first quarter of 2025, according to the company’s earnings report.
