Aramco launched today Saudi Arabia’s first carbon dioxide direct air capture (DAC) test unit, capable of removing 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. The pilot plant, developed in collaboration with Siemens Energy, marks a major milestone in the company’s efforts to expand its direct air capture capabilities.
Aramco seeks to use the facility as a testing platform for next-generation CO2 capture materials in Saudi Arabia’s distinct climate. It also aims to achieve cost reductions that could help accelerate the deployment of direct air capture technologies in the region.
“Technologies that directly capture carbon dioxide from the air will likely play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions moving forward, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors,” stated Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco senior vice president of technology oversight and coordination.
Aramco targets large-scale direct air capture facilities
Aramco and Siemens Energy intend to continue working closely together with the aim of scaling up the technology, potentially laying the foundations for large-scale direct air capture facilities in the future.
“The test facility launched by Aramco is a key step in our efforts to scale up viable DAC systems, for deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. In addition to helping address emissions, the CO2 extracted through this process can in turn be used to produce more sustainable chemicals and fuels,” added Al-Meshari.
These projects demonstrate Aramco’s strong focus on carbon capture, which represents a key pillar in the company’s ambition to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050. The company is exploring options to capture CO2 both at the point of emissions and directly from the atmosphere, through its circular carbon economy approach and the deployment of innovative technology solutions.
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Aramco builds Carbon Capture and Storage hub in Jubail
The launch of the direct air capture test facility follows the December 2024 announcement that Aramco and its partners, Linde and SLB, had signed a shareholders’ agreement that paves the way for the development of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) hub in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
With the support of the Ministry of Energy, phase one of the new CCS hub in Jubail, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, is expected to capture and store up to nine million metric tons of CO2 annually, and construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Phase one of the CCS hub will have the capacity to capture CO2 from three Aramco gas plants and other industrial sources. The captured CO2 will then be transported through a pipeline network and stored below ground in a saline aquifer sink, leveraging the Kingdom’s significant geological potential for CO2 storage.
