Sinopec Oilfield Equipment Wins Hydrogen Refuelling Equipment Contract for Two Hubei Expressway Service Areas

Sinopec Oilfield Equipment Corporation (SOFE) has won a contract to supply and install hydrogen refuelling equipment at two existing petrol stations along the Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway (G42) in Hubei Province, according to an official tender award announcement published on October 21, 2026.

The project will add hydrogen refuelling facilities to the southbound Muzidian Service Area and the northbound Zhongguanyi Service Area on the Macheng section of the expressway. Once operational, the stations are expected to support long-haul hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck transport and expand hydrogen refuelling infrastructure along Hubei’s expressway network.

Hubei is accelerating the development of its hydrogen industry and advancing integrated energy demonstration corridors along several expressways, including the Hanyi, Hanshi, Wuhuang and Huanghuang routes. The province aims to build a regional hydrogen pilot area centred on the Wuhan Metropolitan Area.

By 2030, Hubei targets an output value of more than RMB 100 billion for its hydrogen industry, the deployment of 7,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles and the establishment of a province-wide hydrogen refuelling network.

Station Specifications and Expansion Plans

Both stations are designed to dispense 500 kg of hydrogen over a 12-hour period, with a dispensing pressure of 35 MPa and an on-site hydrogen storage capacity of approximately 640 kg.

The Zhongguanyi North Service Area will also reserve capacity for an additional 500 kg of hydrogen dispensing per 12-hour period, along with space for an additional hydrogen storage cylinder bank with a capacity of approximately 260 kg. These provisions are intended to accommodate future growth in hydrogen vehicle traffic.

Located in eastern Hubei near the provincial borders with Henan and Anhui, the Macheng section of the Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway is a strategic link in the expansion of Hubei’s hydrogen highway network and its connections with neighbouring provinces.

Retrofitting existing petrol stations with hydrogen refuelling facilities allows developers to reuse existing sites and land, while supporting the province’s efforts to streamline land-use approvals for such upgrades.

As a hydrogen equipment manufacturer within the Sinopec Group, SOFE provides capabilities in equipment research and development, manufacturing, system integration, installation and commissioning. Its equipment has been used in demonstration projects, including the Hanyi Expressway hydrogen demonstration corridor, and the company has participated in the development of hydrogen refuelling stations and hydrogen supply centres.