Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and leading future energy company Masdar have jointly developed the first carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) plant in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

The project, which is now operational, aims to sequester up to 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year.  

Developed by Abu Dhabi’s Carbon Capture Company Al Reyadah, a joint venture between Adnoc and Masdar, the project harnesses CO₂ emitted by a major Abu Dhabi steel producer, Emirates Steel Industries (ESI), before injecting it as a substitute for rich gas into the emirate’s oil reservoirs to help enhance their output.  

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State, Adnoc chief executive and chairman of Masdar, officially unveiled the groundbreaking CCUS facility.

He was accompanied by a delegation of senior government and industry officials including Sheikh Abdulla Mohamed Al Hammed, the chairman of the Energy Authority and member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Suhail Mohammad Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy; Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; and Dr Ahmed bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education Affairs.

Based in Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah industrial area next to Emirates Steel Industries, Al Reyadah’s inaugural CCUS project started construction in July 2013.

The project is one of only 22 large-scale CCUS ventures, either in operation or under construction worldwide, and the first to capture CO₂ from an iron and steel works.

Lauding the project success, Dr Al Jaber said: "The launch of this first commercial-scale CCUS project in Mena further demonstrates the UAE’s global energy leadership, and its ongoing commitment to advancing the industry through the application of innovative technology."
 
“Al Reyadah is a prime example of how clean technology can be integrated with traditional energy to create efficiency and optimise resources,” he stated.

“This project will allow for the more productive use of a valuable commodity, natural gas, whether for power generation, or as petrochemicals feedstock, or for export,” observed the minister.

“It also unlocks another potential revenue stream in the industrial sector, encouraging the wider application of commercially viable CCUS technologies globally,” he added.

Al Reyadah, meaning ‘leadership’ in Arabic, is the first company in the region focused on developing commercial-scale CCUS projects.

The CCUS technology now deployed in Abu Dhabi will free up more natural gas for electricity generation, water desalination and other industrial uses while enhancing oil recovery.   

Al Mazrouei said: "Al Reyadah demonstrates the true potential behind integrating hydrocarbon resources and clean technology to maximise value. It also reinforces the UAE’s successful efforts to drive innovation through the implementation of cutting-edge technology, which contributes to our national agenda of building a knowledge-based economy."

Dr Al Zeyoudi said investment in carbon capture utilisation and storage technology is an investment in helping the world mitigate the impacts of climate change.

“Al Reyadah exemplifies how the UAE is committed to climate action and responsible energy production through private and public sector partnerships, and it positions the UAE amongst the pioneers of this cutting-edge technology whilst allowing for continued energy production to meet our export targets,” he added.
 
The technology works in three stages. Carbon dioxide is first captured on site at the Emirates Steel manufacturing complex before being compressed and dehydrated.

The third step involves conveying the CO₂ via a 43-km underground pipeline for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) injection into Adnoc’s NEB (Al Rumaitha) and Bab onshore oilfields.

Abdulmunim Al Kindy, the chairman of Al Reyadah and Adnoc’s director of exploration and production, said: "Al Reyadah brings together the decades-long experience and operational expertise of Adnoc and Masdar’s proven ability to innovate commercially viable and clean technology solutions that enable us to capture carbon, enhance oil recovery and liberate gas. It’s a win-win innovation."

Masdar CEO Mohamed Al Ramahi said for the last 10 years, the company has played a leading role in the development of the future energy economy.

It has invested $2.7 billion in the development of renewable energy and clean technologies in the Mena region and international markets, and today has 2.7 gigawatts (GW) of gross power generating capacity either deployed or under construction, he noted.   

"The inauguration of Al Reyadah’s first CCUS project highlights Masdar’s emergence as a global leader in the clean energy industry, as well as the increasing diversity and sophistication of our commercial activities," remarked Al Ramahi.

"CCUS technology has obvious potential in a region earmarked for significant industrial expansion over the next decade," he added.

Emirates Steel CEO Saeed Al Romaithi said it is the first steelmaker in the world to capture CO₂ emissions.

“Through this unique collaboration, we are aiming to capture, reuse and store 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ from our steel plant each year, supporting Abu Dhabi’s sustainability objectives,” he noted.

A joint venture between Adnoc (51 per cent) and Masdar (49 per cent), Al Reyadah is potentially the first phase of an industrial-scale CCUS network aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the Abu Dhabi economy and supporting the expansion of a low-carbon power generation industry.

Al Reyadah CEO Arafat Al Yafei said it is striving to achieve excellence across human capital development, performance improvement, operational efficiency and profitability, in line with the strategic objectives of Adnoc Group as it continues to raise its profile among world-class energy companies.

“Our existing CCUS project is part of a larger vision to expand EOR activities through the utilisation of CO₂,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service