Saipem is recognised globally for delivering complex industrial and energy infrastructure projects and brings extensive experience in process engineering, modular project execution, downstream facilities, and industrial-scale technology deployment. Aduro believes this expertise will strengthen engineering and execution planning while supporting efficient progression toward industrial operation.
The selection follows a comprehensive evaluation process and establishes the engineering and project execution framework for Aduro's FOAK Program. The two companies intend to advance the project through a structured, stage-gated execution model that aligns engineering development with technical validation, supporting disciplined progression from pilot-scale operations toward industrial deployment.
The initial phase of the collaboration focuses on early engineering and procurement activities, including review of the Process Design Package, optimisation of critical equipment packages, preliminary utility integration, and capital cost refinement. These activities are intended to mature the project definition while incorporating operating data generated through Aduro's Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant. Subject to successful completion of each development stage, the parties’ continued evaluation of the project, and the execution of definitive agreements, the collaboration is expected to progress through Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and start-up.
Aduro has intentionally aligned engineering activities with its ongoing pilot operating campaigns. This integrated approach enables lessons learned through pilot operations to be incorporated directly into the industrial design, reducing execution risk while strengthening the reference design for future commercial deployment. With Saipem engaged during the engineering readiness stage, Aduro expects the company's vast engineering and project execution experience to further help refine the planned facility design, validate key engineering assumptions, and support preparation for a potential FEED phase.
The planned FOAK Plant represents the next step in Aduro's commercialisation strategy by providing the initial industrial-scale implementation of HCT. The broader FOAK Facility is intended to establish the engineering, operating, and economic foundation for future commercial plants and provide a repeatable execution model for subsequent deployments.
“Selecting Saipem represents an important milestone in the industrialisation of HCT,” said Ofer Vicus, Chief Executive Officer of Aduro. “As we transition from pilot-scale toward industrial implementation, it was important to select a partner with deep experience delivering complex process facilities and bringing innovative technologies into commercial operation. Equally important is our shared commitment to a disciplined, stage-gated approach that allows engineering decisions to evolve alongside the operational knowledge we continue to generate through our NGP Pilot Plant. We believe this integrated development model strengthens the technical foundation of the FOAK Plant while reducing execution risk and improving long-term scalability.”
Vicus added, “By engaging with Saipem at an early stage, we can work together to optimise process and engineering decisions, procurement strategies, constructability, and overall project execution as the project advances through its planned development phases.”
The FOAK Facility is planned for Chemelot Industrial Park in the Netherlands, where Aduro has been advancing multiple parallel workstreams including permitting, site integration, feedstock logistics, customer engagement, engineering development, and commercialisation planning. The engagement with Saipem represents another foundational element of the broader FOAK Program, complementing these activities as the company continues advancing toward industrial deployment.