HYDROGEN-

Shell has selected Oman’s Duqm as a suitable location for its planned blue hydrogen and ammonia plant, with technical and commercial viability studies underway, Zawya reports. Being a port town, Duqm would facilitate export of the fuel in the form of blue ammonia thanks to a proposed hydrogen conversion loop. The project’s cost and timeline are expected to be announced after the completion of a feasibility study.

Project profile: The proposed project aims to supply blue, low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia to local and international markets enabled by capturing and storing CO2 emitted throughout the production process. The project falls under Oman’s Vision 2040 and is heavily supported by the Energy Minerals Ministry in its ambition to reach net-zero by 2050.

This isn’t the first hydrogen project heading to Duqm: Oman’s state-owned company Hydrom is currently overseeing the development of a hydrogen transport system across the sultanate’s southern regions of Duqm, Al Jazir, and Salalah, with plans to connect all three transmission lines by 2040, establishing a cross-country pipeline spanning 2k km to transmit green fuels.

DESALINATION-

Acciona starts up Jubail 3B desalination plant in Saudi: Renewables and water treatment company Acciona is planning to build a 61 MW solar photovoltaic project next to the Jubail 3B desalination plant in Saudi Arabia, which will help the plant cut down on conventional power consumption, Zawya reports. The desalination plant is expected to be fully operational in 2024 and will produce potable water within the next few months.

Sonatrach’s Boumerdes plant begins full operations: Operations launched yesterday for Algerian state-owned oil firm Sonatrach’s 80k cbm / day desalination plant in Boumerdes province. The plant will supply water to homes in Boumerdes and Algiers. The first phase was initially launched in July. (Statement)

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• Italian space data organization to support KSA afforestation initiative: Planetek Italia has joined forces with Geosystems Middle East and Stockholm-based Hexagon to support afforestation initiatives in Saudi Arabia through advanced Earth Observation monitoring services. The initiative seeks to plant 10 bn trees while focusing on land preservation measures under the National Center for Vegetation Cover. (Statement)
• Amantra FM partners with AtmosAir to reduce indoor air pollution in Middle East: Dubai-based facilities management company Amantra FM is partnering with US AC and ventilation company AtmosAir and its authorized reseller Circulus to become the Middle East region’s distributor and promoter of AtmosAir’s bi-polar ionization technology, which boasts a pathogen reduction rate of up to 99% in indoor environments. (Khaleej Times)
• Bahrain’s EWA inks USD 60 mn grid agreement with Korean firm: South korean cable manufacturer Taihan Cable has signed an agreement with Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority to install 400kV underground cables in Al Jasra, Bahrain, the company said in a statement on Friday. Taihan is set to supply high-voltage cables, carry out power grid construction, and run test operations. (Zawya)
• Progress in Egypt’s carbon certificates: Six companies in Egypt have issued 230k voluntary carbon certificates, ahead of the Financial Regulatory Authority launching a carbon market in the country. (Daily News)