UAE begins groundbreaking carbon capture & storage initiative

The initiative is predicated on the fact that a fully-developed CCS network can potentially reduce the UAE's CO2 emissions by almost 40%, while increasing oil production by up to 10% and liberating large quantities of natural gas. This is achieved through the separation of carbon dioxide from industrial and energy related sources and its transportation to oil reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery.

'Borne out of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, this initiative marks a major and ongoing commitment,' said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. 'We are a leading provider of energy for the world. As such we must, and do, recognize the responsibility to constantly seek out and incorporate technologies to make that provision more environmentally efficient.'

The program falls under the umbrella of, the Masdar Initiative a UAE based international advanced energy initiative that focuses on sustainable energy and other clean technologies.

On February 5th an international request for proposals to conduct a feasibility study for carbon capture and storage was issued by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), the company executing the Masdar initiative. The companies invited to the bid include Foster Wheeler, Technip, Parsons, SNC-Lavalin and Jacobs Engineering. The study targets initially the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is expected to later expand to cover the rest of the UAE.

The scope of the study is to identify and evaluate options for onshore and offshore CO2 capture from major sources in Abu Dhabi and deliver the CO2 to oil field operators for enhanced oil recovery. Emission sources to be investigated include major existing and future facilities in energy and industry. The study will also identify the first project to be implemented, on the basis of technical and economic feasibility; it will also provide a roadmap to develop a comprehensive CCS network in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and potentially link it with similar schemes across the region.

Commenting on the announcement, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber the CEO of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company said: 'CCS is the most promising technology for the reduction of energy-based CO2 emissions and a viable substitute for the vast amount of natural gas currently re-injected into oil reservoirs for pressure maintenance. This initiative therefore represents an obvious win-win opportunity for the private and public sectors to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the country, increase oil production and maximize natural gas availability.'

The Masdar Initiative incorporates greenhouse gas emission reduction and monetization opportunities under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) framework. It is actively overseeing the development of a broad portfolio of CDM projects in the region, focusing on oil & gas, heavy industry, renewable energy and waste management.