Abu Dhabi is doing something that other jurisdictions have only talked about - building a network to capture industrial carbon dioxide emissions and bury them underground.
Despite an uncertain economic outlook, government-owned Masdar is pressing ahead with its ambitious carbon capture and storage (CCS) scheme, which is a cornerstone of the emirate's plan to cut its carbon emissions by one third by 2020.
The company has already taken concrete steps in laying the groundwork for phase one of the development, which would link several large power and industrial projects at the Gulf port of Taweelah by pipeline to the giant Habshan oilfield in south-western Abu Dhabi, with a branch line carrying carbon dioxide to the oilfield from a proposed Shuweihat power project.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) plans to use the carbon dioxide in place of natural gas to push more oil from the ageing Habshan field, and would ultimately store the waste gas underground in the depleted oil reservoir.
Last November, Masdar awarded the front-end engineering and design contract for the project to Mustang Engineering, a Houston company with previous experience in carbon dioxide recovery and injection projects.
A contract for detailed engineering, procurement and construction should be awarded early next year, and start-up is planned for 2013, said Sam Nader, the director of Masdar's carbon management unit. "Our aim is to build a national network, but we have to start somewhere."
As just the founding link in a much broader network, the initial three-point Abu Dhabi CCS project would still be the largest of its kind in the world, Mr Nader said. About five million tonnes of carbon dioxide would be captured annually from a gas-fired power plant, an aluminium smelter and a steel mill to be built at Taweelah. A further 1.5 million tonnes per year would be piped from a proposed hydrogen plant at Shuweihat.
That facility would be part of a US$2.5 billion (Dh9.18bn) joint venture between Masdar and Hydrogen Energy, itself a partnership between the British oil company, BP, and the Anglo-Australian mining group, Rio Tinto. The hydrogen plant, using natural gas as feedstock, would fuel Abu Dhabi's first clean-burning thermal power plant. A final decision on the project is expected later this year.
Since all parts of Masdar's planned carbon network are envisaged as commercial projects, they are expected to be profitable, but margins could be slim unless the UN changes the rules for its Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a programme that awards marketable carbon credits on the basis of certified reductions in emissions. Although the global carbon market grew by 83 per cent last year - according to the consulting firm, Point Carbon - Masdar is not investing in CCS solely to take advantage of the CDM. There are other advantages to weigh including direct environmental benefits, more efficient use of Abu Dhabi's oil and gas resources, and the chance to become a leader in CCS technology.
Still, the CDM is important. "It would definitely add value. It would improve the economics of this technology," said Mr Nader.
Unfortunately for Masdar, UN negotiators last November postponed a decision on including carbon capture in the CDM until 2012 because of a controversy that has pitted environmentalists against each other.
"We're absolutely opposed to it because it's not a proven technology, it's hideously expensive and it will be using developing countries as a test bed," said Stephanie Tunmore, a campaigner for Greenpeace International.
Johathon Porritt, the former director of Friends of the Earth, said many environmentalists held such views and remained "very nervous" about CCS. "But I just don't see how we can achieve the necessary reduction in concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere without a massive international commitment to CCS," he said.
Masdar does not dispute that CCS is expensive. According to Bader al Lamki, the carbon project's manager, equipping an industrial or power project for carbon capture means adding a small chemicals plant. But costs would come down with improved technology and economies of scale, he predicted.
By going big with its CCS scheme, Masdar hopes to demonstrate this to the world.
"Masdar's main message is that we want to be able to contribute globally," said Mr Nader. "The intent is to assume leadership at a global level."
Mr al Lamki said the company was already developing cutting-edge expertise in designing pipelines to transport carbon dioxide, a gas that poses special problems because it is corrosive.
Masdar is also developing new processes for capturing carbon dioxide under conditions that engineers find challenging, such as with low concentrations and pressures. In such a project at Ruwais, it is working on extracting carbon dioxide from the flue gases of a fertiliser plant operated by ADNOC's FERTIL unit.
"If we can do it there, we can do it anywhere," said Mr al Lamki.
@Email:tcarlisle@thenational.ae
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More coverage from the Future Forum
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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