The DNV certification confirms technical feasibility for large-scale carbon storage at the West Aquifer project, which is located in Al Ruwais Industrial City, some 240 km west of Abu Dhabi City. The verification process covered ADNOC’s geological modelling, monitoring and measurement plans, conformance demonstration approach and long-term storage strategy for the project.

Brice Le Gallo, Vice President and Regional Director for Southern Europe, MEA & LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV, described the certification as both company- and regionally-significant. ‘This certification is a pivotal step for ADNOC and an important moment for CCS deployment across the region. The West Aquifer site has the potential to become one of the anchors for large-scale CCS deployment in the Middle East, helping industries to decarbonise in a safe, credible and internationally recognised way.’  

The endorsement comes against the backdrop of a new Carbon Capture Policy by the UAE’s Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs that was unveiled last month. The policy establishes a regulatory framework for CCUS activities across the emirate, defining operational standards and enabling coordinated infrastructure development.  

The policy is structured around optimising the use of domestic geological resources for long-term CO₂ storage and improving investment efficiency through shared carbon capture and transport infrastructure.  

The West Aquifer certification and policy rollout align closely with the findings of a newly published DNV report that examines the Gulf region’s energy transition trajectory. According to the report, CCUS will be central to decarbonising oil and gas production and enabling low-carbon hydrogen at scale.

More than 98% of current CCUS projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are located in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, led by Aramco, ADNOC and QatarEnergy, notes the report. DNV forecasts that regional CO₂ capture capacity – including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air capture (DAC) – could reach around 250mn t/y by 2060, equivalent to roughly 8% of regional energy-related and industrial emissions, supporting national net zero ambitions.

The scale of the challenge is significant, according to DNV. Since 2005, the GCC has produced nearly 18% of global oil and gas – a share the report suggests could ‘increase as investment continues in low-cost, advantaged resources’. It also notes that as global energy demand shifts increasingly towards Asia, the region’s geographic position and cost competitiveness ‘will reinforce its role as a preferred supplier’.

However, DNV stresses that long-term competitiveness will depend not only on cost but also on carbon intensity. Decarbonisation measures are becoming embedded in upstream strategies, with national oil companies focusing on both operational emissions and product carbon footprints, it says.

Electrification of oil and gas assets is playing a growing role in cutting Scope 2 emissions from pumps, compressors and offshore facilities, through grid connections, renewable power integration and the deployment of hybrid solutions, continues DNV. These efforts are supported by energy-efficiency measures and the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence to optimise drilling, reservoir management and asset operations, reducing energy intensity and emissions per barrel produced.

Methane reduction remains one of the most immediate and cost-effective levers for emissions reductions, notes the report. Across the GCC, routine flaring is planned to be phased out by 2030, while leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes are becoming standard practice. National oil companies are also aligning with international methane initiatives, seeking to maintain production growth while reducing methane intensity in line with net zero targets.

Beyond upstream operations, GCC countries are also rebalancing domestic energy systems, according to the report. Expanding renewables, electrifying transport and buildings and driving efficiency gains are helping to curb domestic oil and gas consumption, freeing up volumes for export or conversion into lower-carbon fuels, it says. Investment in downstream industries, petrochemicals and low-carbon fuels is reshaping export profiles, shifting the focus from crude oil towards higher-value and lower-carbon energy products.

Hydrogen and ammonia are identified as viable long-term export options. With access to low-cost natural gas, strong solar resources and established industrial and export infrastructure, the region is well positioned to scale both low-carbon hydrogen – produced from natural gas with carbon capture – and renewable hydrogen produced through electrolysis, says DNV. By 2060, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to produce around 19mn tonnes of hydrogen and 13mn tonnes of ammonia per year. Around half of this volume is forecast to be exported, primarily to Europe and advanced Asian economies where demand for low-carbon fuels is expected to rise.

‘Hydrogen, ammonia and carbon capture are becoming core elements of the GCC’s energy export model,’ said Jan Zschommler, Market Area Manager for the Middle East, Energy Systems at DNV. ‘As emissions requirements tighten, access to international markets will increasingly depend on carbon intensity. Integrating hydrogen production with renewable power, carbon capture and existing industrial clusters allows the region to remain competitive while meeting these requirements.’

The full DNV report is available at https://www.dnv.com/energy-transition-outlook/oil-and-gas-decarbonization-in-the-gulf-region/