The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seeking a leadership position in the blue hydrogen market as it slowly achieved gas self-sufficiency in natural gas after Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) expands into unconventional gas and unlocks new reservoirs, according to media reports.
The UAE is also speculated to play an important role while powering economic growth in the UAE over the next 50 years, said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC.
While addressing the Gastech 2021, he said, “Already at ADNOC, we produce about 300,000 tons of hydrogen a year. By leveraging our existing gas infrastructure and commercial-scale CCUS capabilities, the UAE can and will become a major player in the emerging blue hydrogen market.”
“Today, gas provides almost one-quarter of the world’s energy supply and will continue to play a critical role in the global energy system. No other fuel source can reliably supply the baseload power to heat and cool homes, drive heavy industry and expand economies, all while keeping emissions at a minimum.”
Currently, the UAE is on track to achieve self-sufficiency in natural gas with the help of ADNOC, which is a part of the integrated gas strategy launched in 2018.
The primary goal is to expand the production assets like Shah along with developing new ones like Umm Shaif gas cap and the Hail, Ghasha and Dalma project. The construction of artificial islands is also happening and the UAE is using their experience in world-class developments to ensure costs are minimised and commercial benefits maximised for all the partners.