QatarEnergy has signed an agreement with US-based General Electric (GE) to develop a carbon capture roadmap for the Middle East nation’s energy sector.
The Qatari state-owned player said on Wednesday that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE aims to “explore the feasibility of developing a world-scale carbon hub at Ras Laffan Industrial City, which as of today, is home to more than 80 GE gas turbines”.
QatarEnergy, which is spending more than $50 billion for the expansion of its giant North Field, also aims to significantly reduce its carbon footprint across its oil and gas operations.
The company’s most recent sustainability strategy outlines several initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including further deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technology to capture over 11 million tonnes per annum of carbon dioxide in Qatar by 2035.
“These projects are expected to further reduce the carbon intensity of Qatar’s LNG facilities by 35%, and of its upstream facilities by 25% (compared to previous targets of 25% and 15%, respectively)”, the company noted.
Along with GE, QatarEnergy aims to develop CCS projects and explore the use of hydrogen and the potential usage of ammonia in GE gas turbines to reduce carbon emissions.
QatarEnergy chief executive Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said the MoU affirms his company’s sustainability strategy and its efforts to implement effective measures to curb emissions and produce cleaner energy using the latest proven emissions reduction technologies.
“We are pleased to work with GE, who is a strategic partner, to pursue all available avenues including the use of clean energy carriers such as hydrogen as a fuel for gas turbines coupled with efficient and affordable carbon capturing technologies from such turbines,” al-Kaabi said.
GE Gas Power’s Europe, Middle East and Africa chief executive Joseph Anis said: “Qatar has the possibility of becoming a leading global player in the areas of hydrogen, ammonia, and CCS by helping to pilot and scale up these technologies for the rest of the world.”
