The United Arab Emirates will become a major player in emerging blue hydrogen market, according to the CEO of the Emirates’ largest oil company.
The UAE is strengthening its position as a regional leader in natural gas and the emerging blue hydrogen market. Natural gas is set to play a pivotal role in powering economic growth in the UAE over the next 50 years, said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
Delivering the opening address of Gastech 2021, Dr. Al Jaber, said: “Already at ADNOC, we produce about 300,000 tons of hydrogen a year. By leveraging our existing gas infrastructure and commercial-scale CCUS capabilities, the UAE can and will become a major player in the emerging blue hydrogen market.”
“Today, gas provides almost one-quarter of the world’s energy supply and will continue to play a critical role in the global energy system. No other fuel source can reliably supply the baseload power to heat and cool homes, drive heavy industry and expand economies, all while keeping emissions at a minimum,” he said.
The UAE is on track to achieve gas self-sufficiency as ADNOC expands into unconventional gas, tap into gas caps and unlock new reservoirs, as part of the company’s integrated gas strategy launched in 2018. “At the heart of this goal, is the expansion of our producing assets, like Shah and the development of new ones, like the unique Umm Shaif gas cap and the Hail, Ghasha and Dalma project,” Dr. Al Jaber said.
“Construction of artificial islands is underway and we are leveraging our experience in world-class developments to ensure costs are minimized and commercial benefits maximized for all our partners. Together, these projects will deliver over 3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, enough to power several million homes,” he added.
