Aramco advances hydrogen, direct air capture, CO2 storage and geothermal projects

Aramco detailed emissions-reduction projects spanning lower-carbon hydrogen, direct air capture, CO2 mineralization and geothermal energy at MENA Climate Week 2023. The diversified decarbonization portfolio from a major energy producer signals technology pathways relevant to India's industrial transition.

Aramco is advancing emissions-reduction solutions including lower-carbon hydrogen, Direct Air Capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide, CO2 storage and geothermal energy, revealed during MENA Climate Week 2023 held in Saudi Arabia from October 8 to 12. A lower-carbon hydrogen demonstration facility at the Shaybah NGL plant, developed with Topsoe, is anticipated to produce six tons of hydrogen daily. A DAC test unit with Siemens Energy in Dhahran will capture up to 12 tons of CO2 annually, slated for completion in 2024, paving the way for a 1,250-tons-per-year pilot plant.

These initiatives align with Aramco's goal to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across fully owned and operated assets by 2050, and Saudi Arabia's aim for net-zero emissions by 2060. The projects span multiple technology fields with partners including Topsoe, Siemens Energy and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. A novel CO2 sequestration pilot dissolves carbon dioxide in water and injects it into volcanic rocks in Jazan, permanently converting it into carbonate rocks, while geothermal exploration targets three west-coast sites.

Indian energy and chemical companies pursuing decarbonization should monitor the maturation of lower-carbon hydrogen, DAC, in-situ CO2 mineralization and geothermal as complementary pathways for hard-to-abate operations. Indian stakeholders can track milestones including the Siemens Energy DAC unit's 2024 completion and the planned scale-up to a 1,250-tons-per-year pilot plant. The circular-carbon-economy framing offers a model for Indian industrial firms integrating carbon capture and renewable energy into existing energy-intensive processes.

Key figure — DAC scale-up: from 12 tons/year test unit to a 1,250-tons-per-year pilot plant