Page 4 - MEOG Week 39

MEOG COMMENTARY MEOG

Saudi ships first

blue ammonia

cargo to Japan

The Kingdom has made the world’s first shipment of blue
ammonia as it eyes leadership of hydrogen industry.

SAUDI ARABIA SAUDI Arabia this week announced that it had Methanol Plant.
shipped its first cargo of blue ammonia to Japan Nitrogen was added to the hydrogen at the
in a move that sets the Kingdom’s stall for a major Jubail Ammonia Plant to create blue ammonia,
WHAT: push into hydrogen. The 40-tonne consignment which was then dispatched by sea to Japan where
Saudi Arabia shipped a of ammonia will be used in zero-carbon power it will be separated and used to power the 50KW
40-tonne cargo of blue generation. Koriyama Micro Gas Turbine, the 2 MW Yoko-
ammonia to Japan as part The shipment was generated by NOC Saudi hama Gas Turbine and a Co-firing Boiler in Aioi.
of a study undertaken to Aramco and was made with the support of Saudi In a press release, Aramco’s chief technology
prove feasibility. Arabian Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) and the officer Ahmad Al-Khowaiter: “The use of hydro-
Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ). gen is expected to grow in the global energy
WHY: Aramco said that during the process of gener- system, and this world’s first demonstration
Riyadh has already taken ating the ammonia, it had captured 50 tonnes of represents an exciting opportunity for Aramco
steps to become a major carbon dioxide (CO2). 30 tonnes will be used in to showcase the potential of hydrocarbons as
player in the nascent methanol production at SABIC’s Ibn-Sina facil- a reliable and affordable source of low-carbon
hydrogen market and ity with the remainder to be used in enhanced oil hydrogen and ammonia.”
this project adds to the recovery (EOR) at Aramco’s ‘Uthmaniyah field. Al-Khowaiter noted the importance of multi-
momentum. In a presentation, Aramco said that the pro- national partnerships to facilitating the ‘Circular
duction of blue ammonia had spanned the entire Carbon Economy’.
WHAT NEXT: value chain, supporting the company’s recent Meanwhile, Toyoda Masakazu, Chairman
The $5bn NEOM hydrogen claims of investing in the circular economy. and CEO of IEEJ, said: “Blue ammonia is crit-
project will be the world’s Natural gas was taken from ‘Uthmaniyah and ical to Japan’s zero carbon emission ambitions
biggest when it comes converted to hydrogen at a dedicated facility in to sustain the balance between the environment
on-stream in 2025, Jubail, with the CO2 captured at a nearby facility and the economy. About 10% of power in Japan
utilising 4 GW of solar and returned to ‘Uthmaniyah and sent to Jubail can be generated by 30 million tons of blue
and wind power to create
green hydrogen and
ammonia.

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 39 30•September•2020