Kent secures engineering and procurement mandate on Orica’s Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub

Kent, a global leader in project delivery and engineering services, has secured a new contract from Orica, strengthening its role in the delivery of the 50MW Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub and confirming Kent’s position as a key partner in advancing large-scale hydrogen projects through to investment decision.

The expanded scope follows Kent’s successful delivery of Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) and subsequent FID cost estimate development, which enabled Orica to progress the project with increased technical certainty and commercial confidence. Under the new contract, Kent will now provide end-to-end engineering and procurement services through to Start-Up and Handover, a critical milestone for one of Australia’s most advanced industrial hydrogen developments.

This appointment reflects Orica’s confidence in Kent’s ability to de-risk complex energy transition projects by integrating engineering maturity, cost certainty and procurement readiness at the point where projects either advance or stall.

Through the engagement, Kent will lead the final stages of engineering design, deliver the procurement of equipment and materials, and support the construction activities.

Carl Titchmarsh, Senior Vice President, APAC at Kent, said:

"Projects like the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub demonstrate how the hydrogen sector is moving from planning to delivery. Having supported Orica from FEED through investment decision, we're now focused on helping bring the project into execution. It's a testament to the strength of our relationship with Orica and our ability to provide continuity across the full project lifecycle, combining engineering expertise with practical delivery to help turn ambitious decarbonisation goals into operational reality."

Importantly, the extension moves the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub beyond concept and definition, demonstrating how industrial hydrogen can be practically integrated into existing manufacturing supply chains. As one of the first projects of its kind in Australia to approach Execution at this scale, the development provides a blueprint for how hydrogen can be deployed to decarbonise hard-to-abate industrial sectors.

For the Australian hydrogen industry, this milestone underscores a shift from policy ambition to execution. Projects progressing through FID represent tangible demand, bankable engineering and real momentum in building a domestic hydrogen economy.

Kent’s continued role on the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub reinforces its capability to support clients across the full project lifecycle, from early concept and FEED through FID and into execution, and its commitment to delivering practical, investable solutions that accelerate the energy transition.