INPEX Corporation (INPEX), JERA Co., Inc. (JERA), and the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) have signed a joint study agreement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on exploring the commercial potential of a clean ammonia production business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX), JERA Co., Inc. (JERA), and the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) have signed a joint study agreement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on exploring the commercial potential of a clean ammonia production business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The signing was conducted online as part of a virtual meeting between Kajiyama Hiroshi, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) of Japan, and HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE and Group CEO and MD of ADNOC.
Through this joint study initiative, INPEX, JERA, and JOGMEC will, together with ADNOC, explore the commercial potential of producing and transporting clean ammonia to Japan.
This ammonia with a vastly reduced carbon footprint will be produced in Abu Dhabi from natural gas-derived hydrogen, where most of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the production of ammonia will be sequestered and utilized in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations at Abu Dhabi onshore oil fields in which INPEX has a participating interest.
EOR is a technology that improves crude oil recovery and increases production volume by injecting CO2 underground. The technology has the dual purpose of injecting and storing CO2 underground and improving economic returns by stimulating crude oil production.
Ammonia is considered to be advantageous as a mode of storage and transportation of hydrogen and emits no CO2 when combusted. It is therefore expected to be utilized as fuel for power generation and marine transportation in line with global movements toward the realization of a net-zero carbon society.
As outlined in its “Business Development Strategy – Towards a Net Zero Carbon Society by 2050” announced in January 2021, INPEX envisions the advent of a hydrogen era and aims to expand its hydrogen and ammonia business.
In close cooperation with ADNOC, with which it has partnered for almost 50 years, as well as the Japanese government and customers, INPEX aims to build a hydrogen and ammonia supply chain linking Japan with Abu Dhabi, one of its core business areas.
Under its “JERA Zero CO2 Emissions 2050” objective, JERA has been working to eliminate CO2 emissions from its domestic and overseas businesses by 2050, promoting the adoption of greener fuels and pursuing thermal power that does not emit CO2 during power generation.
JOGMEC announced the “JOGMEC Carbon Neutral Initiative” on April 20, 2021, in light of the increasing need to respond to climate change issues in natural resource development. Under this initiative, JOGMEC will make maximum use of the technical know-how accumulated so far to support the carbon capture and storage (CCS) business and the clean hydrogen and ammonia business through CCS technical support.
