Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Omani startup 44.01 are set to revolutionize carbon capture technologies. They have launched an ambitious carbon mineralization project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This groundbreaking initiative, announced earlier this year, aims to extract carbon directly from the air and convert it into rock.
The process
ADNOC’s chief technology officer, Sophie Hildebrand, revealed that the pilot project involves mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) with seawater. The process then involves injecting the mixture into the rugged Hajar Mountains. During a recent visit to the site in Fujairah, Hildebrand explained that the solution would solidify into rock in the mountain’s cracks over the course of weeks.
Omani startup 44.01 is set to play a crucial role in the project. The startup’s CTO, Ehab Tasfai, stated that ADNOC and 44.01 will begin injecting the CO2-seawater mix into a test well in the coming weeks. It is expected that most of the carbon will turn into rock within three to four months. Thus, the startup’s operations align with the upcoming COP28 event in the UAE.
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Potential impact
44.01 has engineered the technology to trap carbon within peridotite rock, abundant along the coastlines of the UAE and Oman. This unique approach showcases the synergy between cutting-edge technology and natural resources prevalent in the region.
“The volume of rock here would have the potential to easily sequester all of the carbon dioxide in the UAE,” stated Hildebrand. However, she refrained from specifying ADNOC’s investment, emphasizing the company’s commitment to testing the technology before full-scale implementation.
This project comes in light of the UAE prioritizing the reduction of carbon emissions to achieve its climate goals. UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam Almheiri has underscored the need for a 200 million-ton reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. Subsequently, ADNOC aims to capture 10 million tons of CO2 annually by 2030, contributing to the national efforts. However, this will partially mitigate the 24 million tons of carbon emitted annually by ADNOC’s oil and gas operations.
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