44.01 and Adnoc have announced plans to expand their innovative carbon-to-rock project in the Emirate of Fujairah, following the successful completion of a pilot program. The announcement was made during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), currently taking place in Abu Dhabi.
The initial pilot of 44.01’s Earthshot prize-winning mineralization technology began in 2023, successfully mineralizing 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) within Fujairah’s peridotite rock formations in under 100 days. The next phase of the project will inject more than 300 tonnes of CO2 over an extended period to demonstrate the technology’s potential for large-scale deployment in the UAE.
His Excellency Engineer Ali Qasem, Director General of the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation (FNRC), stated, “The carbon conversion project in the Emirate of Fujairah marks a significant step toward a more sustainable future. We are committed to supporting such innovative technologies that strengthen our efforts to achieve sustainable development goals.”
Fujairah was chosen for the pilot due to its abundance of peridotite, a rock that naturally reacts with CO2 to mineralize it. If scaled effectively, peridotite mineralization could potentially eliminate billions of tons of carbon emissions, contributing to the decarbonization of critical industries and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Sophie Hildebrand, Adnoc Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the role of technology in Adnoc’s decarbonization strategy. “Technology is a key enabler of Adnoc’s decarbonization strategy, and we are pleased to have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of 44.01’s mineralization technology in Fujairah,” she said. “Carbon capture is an important tool to reduce carbon emissions and meet global climate goals, and we look forward to scaling up this project.”
44.01, supported by Adnoc and FNRC, is also competing for the Carbon Removal XPRIZE, having been recognized as one of the Top 20 projects in early 2024. Talal Hasan, CEO of 44.01, remarked, “Our pilot project with Adnoc demonstrated the viability of carbon mineralization in the UAE. We are pleased to be collaborating on scaling up operations and continuing to refine our technology.”
During the pilot, operations were powered by renewable energy from Masdar. The CO2 was captured directly from the atmosphere, dissolved in seawater, and injected into peridotite formations deep underground, where it mineralized, ensuring permanent sequestration. The first phase of the scale-up will build on this established process.
As part of its carbon management strategy, Adnoc aims for a carbon capture capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030, equivalent to removing over 2 million internal combustion vehicles from the roads. The company’s investment in carbon capture projects has already committed it to a capacity increase of nearly 4 mtpa.
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