RIYADH: Saudi Aramco is collaborating with major international companies to develop emissions reduction solutions including lower-carbon hydrogen, direct air caption of carbon dioxide and a novel approach to CO2 storage. A press release issued on Monday said the Saudi oil giant is in the process of signing an engineering agreement with Topsoe to construct a lower-carbon hydrogen demonstration plant at the Shaybah Natural Gas Liquids recovery plant in the Kingdom. It is expected to have a production capacity of 6 tons of hydrogen per day and use renewable electricity in electrified steam reforming of hydrocarbons to produce lower-carbon hydrogen for use in power generation, with resulting CO2 being captured and sequestered. The company is also collaborating with Siemens Energy to develop a DAC test unit in Dhahran with the capacity to capture up to 12 tons of CO2 per year. The test unit, which is expected to be completed in 2024, is intended to pave the way for a larger pilot plant that would have a CO2 capture capacity of 1,250 tons per year. Details of the projects were disclosed on the sidelines of MENA Climate Week 2023, which is taking place in Riyadh. The press release added: “Aramco has successfully piloted a novel CO2 sequestration solution using in situ mineralization, which involves dissolving CO2 in water and injecting it into volcanic rocks in Jazan.” The process converts CO2 into carbonate rocks. The oil company is also exploring the expansion of its renewable energy portfolio by tapping into geothermal energy, which involves converting steam from naturally heated underground aquifers into electricity. Three potential areas on the west coast of Saudi Arabia have already been identified and mapped using sophisticated subsurface technologies, and steps are underway to assess the extent of geothermal resources at each location. Commenting on the projects, Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Aramco executive vice president of technology and innovation, said: “These projects highlight just some of the innovative ways that Aramco aims to help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. “We are working on multiple fronts, partnering with leaders in a variety of fields, in an effort to advance technology solutions that have the potential to make a real impact.”