ADNOC delivers CCS-enabled certified ammonia shipment to Mitsui & Co.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on May 14 announced the successful delivery of a certified shipment of low-carbon ammonia enabled by carbon capture and storage (CCS) to Mitsui & Co. in Japan. 

The entire low-carbon certification process, from production to delivery, was conducted by TUV SUD, a leading certification agency. The shipment, produced by Fertiglobe, builds on previous demonstration cargoes delivered by ADNOC to customers in Asia and Germany.

Sourced from Fertiglobe's 100%-owned facility, Fertil, located in the Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi, the cargo undergoes a process where carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured and permanently stored in a fully sequestered CO2 injection well in a carbonate saline aquifer.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that hydrogen will play a crucial role in achieving global net zero emissions by 2050, with hydrogen accounting for approximately 10% of global energy consumption. ADNOC said it aims to capture 5% of the global low-carbon hydrogen market by 2030 in support of the UAE’s National Hydrogen Strategy.

Low-carbon ammonia is the most promising at-scale hydrogen carrier and potential clean fuel for a wide range of applications, including transportation, power generation and industrial, including steel, cement, and fertilizer production, ADNOC said. 

In alignment with its sustainability goals, ADNOC has commenced the design of a facility in Abu Dhabi capable of producing up to 360,000 tonnes/year of low-carbon hydrogen, capturing up to 3mn tonnes/year of CO2. 

Earlier this year, ADNOC announced an increase in its allocation for decarbonisation and lower-carbon projects. The allocation has been raised from the previous target of $15bn to a new total of $23bn.