Groundbreaking of Marsa LNG Plant in Oman Marks Milestone in Low-Carbon Maritime Fuel Production

Under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy & Minerals of Oman, Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, and Ahmed Al Azkawi, CEO of OQ Exploration and Production, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Marsa LNG plant in Sohar, northern Oman. This milestone comes one year after the Final Investment Decision was made.

The liquefaction plant, with an annual capacity of 1 million tons (Mt/y), is being developed by Marsa LNG LLC, a joint venture between TotalEnergies (80%) and OQEP (20%). The LNG production, set to begin in the first quarter of 2028, will primarily serve the marine fuel market (LNG bunkering) in the Gulf.

“I’m very proud to see Marsa LNG breaking ground, alongside our longstanding partner OQEP, and with the strong support from the Sultanate’s authorities. This flagship project demonstrates that LNG production can be very low carbon, contributing to making gas a long-term transition fuel. With an ambitious technical design, we intend to set the standard and pave the way for the next generation of low-emissions LNG plants across the world. We also offer an effective way to support the shipping sector’s energy transition, by providing lower-emissions marine fuel in a key location at the entrance of the Gulf”, said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.

A Low-Carbon LNG Plant

The Marsa LNG plant will be one of the world’s lowest carbon intensity LNG facilities. It is fully electrified and paired with a 300 MWp photovoltaic solar farm, which will meet the plant’s annual energy requirements. As a result, the Marsa LNG plant will have a carbon intensity of less than 3 kg CO2e/boe for scope 1 and 2 emissions, which is 90% lower than the global average of 35 kg CO2e/boe.

The Middle East’s First LNG Bunkering Hub

Located at the Gulf’s entrance, the Marsa LNG site is poised to become the first LNG bunkering hub in the Middle East. A new LNG bunkering vessel, named Monte Shams in honor of Jabal Shams, Oman’s “Mountain of the Sun,” will be constructed and stationed in Sohar from 2028. This vessel will supply LNG to various vessels, including container ships, tankers, and large cruise ships.

LNG is a readily available transition fuel for the maritime industry, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 20% compared to traditional fuel oil. Ships using LNG from the Marsa LNG plant will benefit from even further reductions in GHG emissions, due to the facility’s low carbon intensity and local bunkering, eliminating the need to transport LNG from distant ports.