ADNOC plans UAE blue ammonia plant

The UAE's ADNOC has plans for a "world-scale" 1mn metric tons/year blue ammonia production plant in the industrial hub of Ruwais, the state-owned company reported on May 24.

The UK's Wood is undertaking pre-front-end engineering and design work for the project and ADNOC said it hopes to take a final investment decision in 2022 and launch the plant three years later. It did not disclose cost estimates.

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Ammonia is classified as blue when the nitrogen is mixed with hydrogen derived from fossil fuels and the CO₂ released as a by-product of the hydrogen production is captured and stored.

"As we collectively navigate the global energy transition, we believe hydrogen, and its carrier fuels such as ammonia, offer promise and potential as zero carbon energy sources," ADNOC CEO Sultan al-Jaber said in a statement.

ADNOC already produces 300,000 mt/year of hydrogen at the Ruwais industrial complex and plans to take this up to 500,000 mt/yr in the future. It said it would study the feasibility of supplying blue hydrogen from Ruwais to the ammonia plant. The company also has an 800,000 mt/yr CO₂ capture and storage facility in Al Reyadah that handles emissions from local steel production.

The national oil company has signed a number of deals on hydrogen and ammonia supply options in recent months with partners in Asia, including with South Korea's GS Energy.