Saudi Aramco has formalised a partnership with Gulf Cryo, a prominent player in industrial gases and decarbonisation solutions within the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and Turkey (MENAT) region. The agreement focuses on the testing of lower-carbon hydrogen alongside carbon capture and utilisation technologies, specifically tailored to the environmental conditions found in Saudi Arabia. This initiative is positioned to pave the way for future commercial applications of these technologies.
The deal represents Saudi Aramco's ongoing commitment to fostering a future characterised by lower carbon emissions. As part of this objective, the company is investing in research and developing technologies aimed at supporting business expansion and fulfilling the growing global energy needs while simultaneously striving to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for its wholly owned and operated assets by the year 2050. This target encompasses reductions in both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which relate to the emissions directly generated by the company and those that occur from the consumption of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling.
Testing of the newly developed technologies is set to occur at Gulf Cryo’s recently inaugurated Applications and Technologies Center (ATC), located in the King Salman Energy Park (SPARK). This centre is expected to play a vital role in piloting and assessing these innovative solutions, thereby facilitating a smoother pathway to their commercial deployment.
Ali A. Al-Meshari, Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination at Aramco, highlighted the significance of this collaboration. He remarked on its importance in advancing early-stage technologies towards the next phase of development, which is anticipated to foster a local ecosystem conducive to accelerating technology deployment while leveraging domestic talent and infrastructure.
Eng. Abdel Salam Al Mazro, Vice Chairman of Gulf Cryo, expressed confidence in the project, stating that it will harness the capabilities of their centre to provide advanced lower-carbon hydrogen and decarbonisation solutions specifically designed to meet Aramco's distinct requirements.
Moreover, this initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to enhance localisation efforts and bolster local capabilities in technology development. The centre is projected to be operational by the end of 2025, marking a significant step forward in both companies' efforts to contribute to the region's sustainability goals. Through collaborations such as this, Saudi Aramco and Gulf Cryo aim to position themselves as leaders in the evolving landscape of decarbonisation technologies.
Source: Noah Wire Services