Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and leading energy company Masdar have jointly developed the first carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) plant in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, reported ET-Energy World. The project, which is currently in operation, aims to sequester up to 800,000t/y of carbon dioxide emitted by a major Abu Dhabi steel producer, Emirates Steel Industries (ESI), before injecting it as a substitute for rich gas into the emirate’s oil reservoirs to help enhance their output, according to Trade Arabia.

The project started construction in July 2013 and is considered the first to capture carbon dioxide from an iron and steel works. It is located Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah industrial area next to Emirates Steel Industries. The project is a joint venture between Adnoc with 51% and Masdar 49%. Al Reyadah is potentially the first phase of an industrial-scale CCUS network aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the Abu Dhabi economy.

UAE’s Minister of State, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, said that the launch of this first commercial-scale CCUS project in MENA further demonstrates the country’s global energy leadership, and its ongoing commitment to advancing the industry through the application of innovative technology.