ADNOC’s Ruwais LNG project may target maritime demand

The project aims to facilitate shipping's access to LNG as a bunker fuel, Abdulkareem Al Masabi, chief executive of ADNOC Logistics and Services said.

PHOTO: Aerial view of the Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi. ADNOC

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is developing an LNG liquefication and export facility in Al Ruwais Industrial City in UAE’s Abu Dhabi.

The plant will consist of two LNG liquefaction trains with a total export capacity of 9.6 million mt/year. First shipments from the plant are scheduled for 2028.

"The project underscores our commitment to delivering a fuel that supports energy transition, global energy security, and access to LNG as a maritime fuel," Masabi claimed.

LNG (2.7555 mtCO2/mt of fuel) has a lower carbon factor than VLSFO (3.151) and LSMGO (3.206). The fuel gained popularity as a lower-emission alternative to conventional fuels due to its widespread availability and technological readiness, unlike zero-emission fuels like methanol and ammonia.

According to a DNV database, there are currently 547 LNG-capable vessels in operations and another 505 on order for delivery towards 2028.

However, LNG has higher well-to-wake emissions than conventional marine fuels, partly because of its higher upstream methane emissions from leakages during extraction, processing and transport.

Targeting maritime emissions

Apart from LNG, ADNOC is working towards producing methanol and low-emission ammonia in anticipation of a growing shipping demand.

It has partnered with Swiss methanol producer Proman to build a natural gas to methanol facility in the TA'ZIZ industrial and chemical complex in Ruwais. The methanol plant will initially have a capacity of 1.8 million mt/year. It is also developing a blue ammonia production plant with a target capacity of 1 million mt/year.

By Konica Bhatt

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