Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and GE Gas Power have announced a joint initiative to develop a decarbonisation roadmap that includes reducing carbon emissions from gas turbines used to power Adnoc’s downstream and industry operations.
This initiative further supports the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and strengthens Adnoc’s position as one of the world’s least carbon-intensive oil and gas producers. The announcement follows the recent clean power agreement between Adnoc and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) and enhances Adnoc’s pathway to decarbonization while enabling sustainable future growth.
Ahmed Omar Abdulla, Senior Vice President, Refining & Petrochemical Asset Management, Adnoc said: “Adnoc’s initiative with GE reinforces our commitment to support the UAE’s goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and our ongoing commitment to decarbonising our operations. This agreement is in line with our energy transition strategy and underscores our commitment to sound environmental stewardship while meeting the needs of the world’s growing energy demands.
“Working together with GE to develop sustainable solutions for power generation also furthers our ambitions to progress hydrogen as a future fuel and will leverage our industry-leading capabilities in carbon capture and storage.”
Under the terms of the initiative, Adnoc and GE will explore using hydrogen and hydrogen-blended fuels for lower-carbon power generation; evaluating introducing ammonia as a fuel to power Adnoc’s GE gas turbines; integrating carbon capture solutions at Adnoc’s power generation facilities; and joint research and development (R&D) programs to develop innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions from gas-based power generation.
Joseph Anis, President and CEO of GE Gas Power Europe, Middle East, and Africa said: “Energy-intensive industries such as oil and gas, smelters, petrochemicals, aviation, and others, will play an important role in the UAE’s energy transition. Hydrogen and hydrogen-blended fuels, ammonia, and carbon capture solutions, offer pathways to near-zero carbon emissions from gas power generation, without compromising on the reliability of electricity supplies – this is critical for industrial growth. We are honoured to work with Adnoc to explore solutions to decarbonise their gas turbines and thank them for their trust in us.”
The announcement is a continuation of Adnoc and GE’s cooperation to enhance the performance and sustainability of Adnoc’s operations. Adnoc and GE recently enhanced the efficiency and performance of Adnoc Refining’s General Utilities Plant (GUP) in Ruwais, with upgrades to installed GE gas turbines increasing power output while utilizing the same amount of fuel. Through this new initiative, GE helps bring its industry leading hydrogen experience to Adnoc. Globally, more than a hundred GE gas turbines have operated on fuels that contain hydrogen, accumulating over 8 million operating hours.
The GUP provides electricity and water to the entire Ruwais Industrial Complex. Adnoc is also enhancing the performance and sustainability of the GUP with the development of a waste heat recovery facility. Upon completion of this facility in 2023, the innovation will increase the thermal efficiency of the site by nearly 30%.
GE has contributed to the development of the energy sector in the GCC for over 80 years. GE-built power generation technologies are installed in up to 350 sites across the region, generating up to half of the GCC’s power.
