CCUS in Saudi: bags of potential but thin on details
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the inaugural Saudi Green Initiative Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October 2020 Source: Saudi Press Agency
Eyebrows were raised earlier this autumn when
In the wake of Saudi Arabia’s pledge to become net-zero by 2060, Global Voice of Gas takes a look at the Kingdom’s plans for CCUS IAN SIMM
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G LO B A L VO I C E O F G A S
Saudi Arabia joined the growing list of countries to set a mid-century target for reaching net zero carbon emissions. Given that the kingdom is the world’s top oil exporter and one of its biggest producers, it is a stretch in the minds of most to envisage how the circle of maintaining and even expanding oil production can be squared with the elimination of emissions by 2060. But considering the importance of the oil sector to the Saudi economy, this is a challenge Riyadh must wrestle into submission and while ambitious plans for renewables and gas have been announced, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) will have a vital role to play.
DECEMBER 2021
