ADNOC and Occidental have agreed to jointly conduct a preliminary engineering study for what could become the UAE’s first megaton-scale direct air capture (DAC) facility.

The study, announced Oct. 3, will assess the feasibility of utilizing the same CO2 extraction technology used at Occidental subsidiary 1PointFive’s plant under construction in Ector County, Texas. If the 1-mtpa UAE facility is approved, CO2 extracted at the facility will be connected to ADNOC’s CO2 infrastructure for injection and permanent storage into saline reservoirs, according to a news release.

“This joint investment in the proposed first megaton direct air capture facility in the region exemplifies ADNOC’s commitment to leverage partnerships and promising technology to accelerate our decarbonization journey on the way to net zero by 2045,” Musabbeh Al Kaabi, ADNOC’s executive director for low carbon solutions and international growth, said in the release.

The speed at which both teams have developed a feasible plan for the DAC plant in Abu Dhabi emphasizes the urgency to deliver global scale climate solutions, Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, said in the release.

“We will continue to leverage our carbon management expertise to deliver value and accelerate our ability to achieve our net-zero targets and help others meet theirs,” Hollub said.

1PointFive’s Stratos facility in Texas is designed to include DAC technology developed by Carbon Engineering. The facility, which is expected to capture up to 500,000 tonnes of CO2 per year when fully operational, is scheduled to start commercial operations in mid-2025.

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