50 years of locally produced energy at Oʻahu’s SNG Plant
Hawaiʻi Gas’ Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) Plant, the hub of its Oʻahu utility system, marks a milestone anniversary.
Occupying a little more than three acres in Kapolei’s Campbell Industrial Park, the Hawaiʻi Gas SNG Plant was constructed in the 1970s to replace the company’s original gas production plant in Iwilei. Since 1974, the SNG Plant has produced reliable, resilient gas energy delivered directly to communities across the island through a 16-inch transmission pipeline that connects the facility to the Oʻahu utility distribution system. Gas runs from the plant along more than 1,100 miles of pipeline stretching from Kapolei to Hawaiʻi Kai, fueling the day-to-day energy needs of thousands of homes and businesses on Oʻahu.
What many may not know is that the SNG Plant is the only one of its kind in the United States. As natural gas isn’t naturally occurring in Hawaiʻi, the plant was designed to produce gas using a special process that upcycles naphtha, a by-product of the oil refining process. Synthetic natural gas is an efficient fuel product, with lower emissions when compared to other fossil fuels. At the Hawaiʻi Gas SNG Plant, synthetic natural gas is blended with zero-carbon hydrogen, and, further down the pipeline, renewable natural gas (RNG) sourced from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment plant. Fun fact: Hawaiʻi Gas uses more hydrogen in this utility fuel mix than any other utility in the nation, and has been doing so since 1974!
Photo: courtesy of Hawaiʻi Gas
The plant is staffed 24/7, every day of the year, by a team of specialized employees who include operating and maintenance crews, engineers, mechanics, and staff members who maintain quality control at the on-site laboratory. Safety is a top priority at Hawaiʻi Gas, and significant effort and resources are dedicated to ensuring that all operations are safe for employees, customers, and the community.
For 50 years, the SNG Plant has produced efficient, resilient gas energy for Hawaiʻi, an essential component of the company’s legacy of meeting our community’s energy needs. In the years to come, it will continue to play a pivotal role in how Hawaiʻi Gas strengthens and accelerates its work toward a clean energy future.
