UAE, Japan plan hydrogen supply chain

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and two Japanese companies, ENEOS Corp and Mitsui & Co have inked a joint study agreement to develop a clean hydrogen supply chain between UAE and Japan, Eneos said on June 7.

The project aims to be developed in two phases, with the first phase utilising by-product hydrogen from ADNOC's system in Ruwais Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi, while phase two envisages greenfield blue hydrogen production from natural gas.

The hydrogen will be transformed to methylcyclohexane, a form of hydrogen transport vector to export to Japan. The three companies will conduct technical and engineering verification of a hydrogen production facility with a capacity of 50,000 metric tons/year, and a feasibility study on the potential to expand this facility to commercial production of 200,000 mt/yr.

ADNOC is accelerating its efforts in decarbonisation, and in this regard CCUS options are being explored with an aim to establish a competitive blue hydrogen supply business utilising existing facilities such as refineries and petrochemical plants. As part of these initiatives, ADNOC will be responsible for the hydrogen production component of this joint feasibility study, Eneos said.