Allegations of Antitrust and Unfair Competition
The complaint accuses Exxon and its affiliate Denbury of violating agreements tied to the Ascension Clean Energy project and engaging in willful, deceptive and anticompetitive conduct.
“Defendants’ willful, deceptive, and anticompetitive actions have forced Plaintiffs to seek a replacement CO₂ transportation and storage solution,” the filing states.
Because Denbury’s pipeline is the only operational and developed CO₂ transport system in the region, CHW argues, replacing it would trigger crippling delays and costs “orders of magnitude” higher — potentially exceeding $1 billion — than what Denbury had agreed to charge.
The company claims Exxon’s control of the near-1,000-kilometer network effectively makes it a gatekeeper for blue hydrogen and ammonia ventures along the Gulf Coast.
Selective Access?
CHW further alleges that Exxon has favored certain players while sidelining others.
While Exxon has paused its own Baytown, Texas, blue hydrogen and ammonia megaproject, citing weak near-term demand, CHW contends the company has allowed CF Industries to maintain access to Denbury’s system for its Donaldsonville blue ammonia plant — located near CHW’s proposed site.
That selective access, CHW argues, underscores its claim that Exxon is using infrastructure control to consolidate influence over the emerging blue ammonia market.
