Latest news with #Hydrom
Observer
2 days ago
- Business
- Observer
OTTCO named champion for green ammonia storage in Oman
MUSCAT, JULY 27 Oman Tank Terminal Company (OTTCO), a subsidiary of OQ – the Omani government–owned integrated energy company – has been designated as a 'National Champion' for central green ammonia storage. This designation, announced by Hydrom – the master planner of Oman's green hydrogen sector – places OTTCO among a select group of predominantly state-owned utilities and energy companies tasked with developing and operating shared infrastructure, also known as Common User Infrastructure (CUI), to support the country's emerging gigawatt-scale green molecules industry. Confirmation of OTTCO's new status came in a recent interview given by Eng. Abdulaziz al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrom, to The Energy Oman. Highlighting Hydrom's pivotal role in advancing the Sultanate's green hydrogen ambitions, he noted: 'We advise the government on policies and regulations to support a robust and investment-friendly framework. We lead auction processes and manage contracts. In parallel, we also serve as custodians of the Green Hydrogen Strategy, overseeing land master planning and the sector's long-term vision. Once projects are awarded, developers take the lead on execution, while we ensure coordination—especially for shared infrastructure. To do that, we work closely with 'National Champions'—key public and private entities entrusted with specific responsibilities across the hydrogen value chain. OQ Alternative Energy leads investment. Nama Water Services oversees water and power. OQ Gas Networks is responsible for gas transport. Oman Electricity Transmission Company manages power transmission. Most recently, Oman Tank Terminal Company was named National Champion for central green ammonia storage,' he added. The move underscores the growing importance of green ammonia as both a versatile carrier of green hydrogen and a low-carbon fuel, particularly for hard-to-decarbonize sectors. Produced from renewable hydrogen and nitrogen, green ammonia (NH₃) is safer and more efficient to store and transport than pure hydrogen. It can also be used directly as a carbon-free fuel in shipping, power generation, and possibly industrial heating, offering a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. The maritime sector, in particular, is showing strong interest in ammonia as a zero-carbon bunker fuel, while green ammonia also provides a cleaner substitute for the global fertilizer industry, which is a significant source of CO₂ emissions. OTTCO's designation expands its mandate beyond crude oil and fossil fuel-based storage and logistics into the realm of green molecules. Its flagship facility at Ras Markaz, spanning 40 square kilometres, currently offers 17.5 million barrels of storage capacity, with plans to scale up to a world-class 200 million barrels. The site also serves as a strategic hub for imported crude feeding the Duqm Refinery, located approximately 80 kilometres away. According to OTTCO CEO Eng. Salem bin Marhoon al Hashmi, a recent strategic agreement between parent group OQ and Dutch liquid logistics giant Vopak aims to position Duqm as a global storage hub not only for fossil fuels, but also for green molecules such as green ammonia. Several preliminary studies have already been completed to establish advanced infrastructure for the storage, handling, and export of green ammonia. OTTCO is also developing a shared smart storage infrastructure and seeking global partnerships to enable knowledge exchange and accelerate development. Last week, Mohsin bin Hamad al Hadhrami, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, accompanied Ashraf bin Hamad al Mamari, OQ Group CEO, on a visit to Ras Markaz and other facilities in Duqm. The visit aimed to highlight OTTCO's operations and future plans.
Zawya
22-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: EDO records revenues of $3.776 bn for Q1 2025
MUSCAT: Energy Development Oman SAOC (EDO)—the wholly government-owned energy sector holding company—posted revenues totaling $3.776 billion for the first quarter of this year, marginally lower than the $4.005 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024. Announcing its unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial results for the first three months of 2025, EDO reported production expenses of $290.882 million, down from $333.128 million in Q1 2024. Royalty expenses dipped slightly to $1.422 billion, compared to $1.577 billion a year earlier. Profit before tax amounted to $510.220 million, down from $890.416 million in Q1 2024. Total assets were reported at $27.534 billion this year, roughly on par with last year's figure of $27.843 billion. Shareholders' equity totaled $10.169 billion, also broadly similar to last year's $10.197 billion. Total equity and liabilities stood at $27.534 billion, mirroring the $27.843 billion recorded at the end of Q1 2024. Affiliated with the Ministry of Finance, EDO owns 60% of the Block 6 Petroleum concession operated by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), 100% of Block 6's non-associated gas concession, and 100% of Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom), the master planner of the Sultanate's green hydrogen industry. Other affiliates of EDO include Oman New Energies SPC (ONE), incorporated to explore future power-related business but currently not operational; and EDO Gas SPC (GasCo), which assumed the participating interest in the Gas Operations of Block 6 from EDO effective July 1, 2023. In June 2023, GasCo established EDO Sukuk Limited, a special purpose vehicle created to act as issuer and trustee of the Sukuk trust certificates under the trust certificate issuance programme. Also part of the EDO Group are: EDO InfraCo SPC, which is currently non-operational; and ECO SPC, a wholly owned subsidiary established in September 2024 to handle the inventory of surplus and scrap equipment and materials from operations under the Block 6 Petroleum Agreements, the Block 6 Gas Concession Agreement, and other oil and gas operations in the Sultanate of Oman.
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman accelerates green hydrogen technology localisation
MUSCAT - Hydrom, the architect of Oman's green hydrogen sector, has reported significant progress in the localisation of technology and manufacturing capacity linked to the vast volumes of solar panels, wind turbines, electrolysers and other essential hardware needed to meet the country's ambitious green hydrogen targets. A number of green hydrogen projects currently in early development across Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates are expected to commence operations by around 2030, contributing to Oman's goal of producing 1 million tonnes of low-carbon molecules annually by that time. Achieving this target will require approximately 40 million solar panels and up to 3,000 wind turbines — equipment that will nearly triple the country's current grid capacity, according to Eng Abdulaziz Al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrom. 'To reach our 2030 targets, we're proactively enabling this expansion by laying the necessary groundwork now. With project contracts signed for up to 47 years, the momentum is clear and investors are taking note,' Al Shidhani said in an interview with The Energy Year, a UK-based energy news platform. The official also emphasised that technology localisation is central to Hydrom's strategy. 'We've signed MoUs with electrolyser manufacturers, including Siemens Energy and ThyssenKrupp Nucera. These partnerships support our industrial ambitions, including polysilicon production and the local manufacturing of solar panels and wind turbines. Suhar is set to host solar panel production, while Al Duqm will see wind turbine assembly'. Over the past year, Suhar has attracted over a billion dollars in new Chinese-led investments in large-scale solar panel and module manufacturing facilities, aimed primarily at serving domestic and regional markets. Additionally, United Solar Polysilicon (FZC) SPC, an international green energy company, is making rapid progress on a $1.6 billion polysilicon plant with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per annum, located in Suhar Industrial City. Alongside its efforts to build a robust green hydrogen production sector, Hydrom is actively supporting the development of supply chains and a broader ecosystem around the green molecule. As part of this drive, Hydrom hosted a Green Hydrogen Ecosystem Readiness Lab last September, bringing together 58 government entities. 'We identified 26 strategic initiatives grouped into five core areas: logistics and infrastructure readiness, regulatory streamlining, technology localisation, workforce capacity building and domestic market development. These initiatives are being actively tracked and managed through our green hydrogen acceleration dashboard, gH2ad, which ensures transparency, promotes accountability and keeps all stakeholders aligned towards shared goals', Al Shidhani explained. (gH2ad refers to green hydrogen, ammonia and derivatives — including green ammonia, green methanol, synthetic fuels (e-fuels) and LOHCs or liquid organic hydrogen carriers). Hydrom is also working closely with free zone authorities to allocate suitable plots for investments in downstream green hydrogen conversion and other value-added industries. 'We coordinate closely with free zone authorities to align policy and infrastructure. For instance, Vulcan Green Steel and others are planning green steel projects that will rely on hydrogen supply chains originating from outside the free zones', he said. Meanwhile, preparations are underway to manage the massive volumes of hardware that the green hydrogen sector will require — most of which will be imported in the early years — and ensure its seamless transport to designated sites. The Port of Duqm, which previously handled the arrival of wind turbines for Dhofar's first wind farm in 2019, will continue to serve as a gateway for such equipment. 'We've assigned ASYAD to lead logistics, focusing on three key initiatives: conducting a readiness assessment, implementing a control-tower approach to manage scheduling from port to site and coordinating with ongoing oil and gas activities. We are piloting our plan with the recently signed 100-MW PDO Riyah-1 and Riyah-2 wind farm projects in Al Duqm, allowing us to learn and adapt as needed', Al Shidhani added.
Observer
18-07-2025
- Business
- Observer
Oman accelerates green hydrogen technology localisation
MUSCAT, JULY 18 Hydrom, the architect of Oman's green hydrogen sector, has reported significant progress in the localisation of technology and manufacturing capacity linked to the vast volumes of solar panels, wind turbines, electrolysers and other essential hardware needed to meet the country's ambitious green hydrogen targets. A number of green hydrogen projects currently in early development across Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates are expected to commence operations by around 2030, contributing to Oman's goal of producing 1 million tonnes of low-carbon molecules annually by that time. Achieving this target will require approximately 40 million solar panels and up to 3,000 wind turbines — equipment that will nearly triple the country's current grid capacity, according to Eng Abdulaziz Al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrom. 'To reach our 2030 targets, we're proactively enabling this expansion by laying the necessary groundwork now. With project contracts signed for up to 47 years, the momentum is clear and investors are taking note,' Al Shidhani said in an interview with The Energy Year, a UK-based energy news platform. The official also emphasised that technology localisation is central to Hydrom's strategy. 'We've signed MoUs with electrolyser manufacturers, including Siemens Energy and ThyssenKrupp Nucera. These partnerships support our industrial ambitions, including polysilicon production and the local manufacturing of solar panels and wind turbines. Suhar is set to host solar panel production, while Al Duqm will see wind turbine assembly'. Over the past year, Suhar has attracted over a billion dollars in new Chinese-led investments in large-scale solar panel and module manufacturing facilities, aimed primarily at serving domestic and regional markets. Additionally, United Solar Polysilicon (FZC) SPC, an international green energy company, is making rapid progress on a $1.6 billion polysilicon plant with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per annum, located in Suhar Industrial City. Alongside its efforts to build a robust green hydrogen production sector, Hydrom is actively supporting the development of supply chains and a broader ecosystem around the green molecule. As part of this drive, Hydrom hosted a Green Hydrogen Ecosystem Readiness Lab last September, bringing together 58 government entities. 'We identified 26 strategic initiatives grouped into five core areas: logistics and infrastructure readiness, regulatory streamlining, technology localisation, workforce capacity building and domestic market development. These initiatives are being actively tracked and managed through our green hydrogen acceleration dashboard, gH2ad, which ensures transparency, promotes accountability and keeps all stakeholders aligned towards shared goals', Al Shidhani explained. (gH2ad refers to green hydrogen, ammonia and derivatives — including green ammonia, green methanol, synthetic fuels (e-fuels) and LOHCs or liquid organic hydrogen carriers). Hydrom is also working closely with free zone authorities to allocate suitable plots for investments in downstream green hydrogen conversion and other value-added industries. 'We coordinate closely with free zone authorities to align policy and infrastructure. For instance, Vulcan Green Steel and others are planning green steel projects that will rely on hydrogen supply chains originating from outside the free zones', he said. Meanwhile, preparations are underway to manage the massive volumes of hardware that the green hydrogen sector will require — most of which will be imported in the early years — and ensure its seamless transport to designated sites. The Port of Duqm, which previously handled the arrival of wind turbines for Dhofar's first wind farm in 2019, will continue to serve as a gateway for such equipment. 'We've assigned ASYAD to lead logistics, focusing on three key initiatives: conducting a readiness assessment, implementing a control-tower approach to manage scheduling from port to site and coordinating with ongoing oil and gas activities. We are piloting our plan with the recently signed 100-MW PDO Riyah-1 and Riyah-2 wind farm projects in Al Duqm, allowing us to learn and adapt as needed', Al Shidhani added.
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
New mechanisms to bolster appeal of Oman's Round 3 hydrogen auction
MUSCAT - Hydrom, the state-owned entity overseeing Oman's green hydrogen strategy, has introduced a series of mechanisms and incentives aimed at generating stronger investor interest in the third round of auctions for green hydrogen development blocks. Launched in April 2025, Round 3 centres on a 300 sq km land block in Duqm. Prospective developers may bid for a minimum of 100 sq km, with the flexibility to define their project footprint within the block. This approach allows bidders to tailor configurations in line with their strategies and market outlook. According to Abdulaziz al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrom, the latest round has been designed with enhanced flexibility to better align with investor expectations. 'We offered a 300-square-kilometre block where bidders can propose developing a third, two-thirds, or the entire area, depending on their capabilities. We can award the land to one, two, or three developers. Strategically, the message is that Oman is committed yet agile,' he told The Energy Year, a UK-based energy news portal. Crucially, Hydrom has embedded several new features into the auction process to elicit a stronger investor response. 'We're introducing mechanisms such as a double-sided auction with a contract-for-difference model, and a downstream auction aimed at domestic industry,' Al Shidhani explained. 'These initiatives are designed to stimulate local hydrogen demand by bridging the price gap between suppliers and buyers. We're also allowing phased project development. Instead of delivering the full 50,000 tonnes per year within seven years, developers can start small and scale up.' Additional incentives—yet to be disclosed—will reward developers that meet specific milestones, he noted. 'Importantly, only 4 per cent of Oman's 50,000-square-kilometre hydrogen potential has been allocated so far. We're serious about scaling but also balanced about risk,' he added. While optimism surrounds the auction, Al Shidhani acknowledged ongoing challenges facing the global hydrogen industry, such as political transitions and policy delays in key markets including Germany and Japan. One critical challenge being addressed by Hydrom is the imbalance between global hydrogen supply and demand. 'We're tackling this through government-to-government agreements with Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Singapore,' he said. 'These aren't just MoUs—we conduct workshops, run joint studies, and have launched the world's first liquid hydrogen corridor with partners in Germany and the Netherlands.' Domestically, Hydrom is also focusing on building a viable local market for hydrogen. 'We're exploring downstream applications and support tools like the double-sided auction model to make green hydrogen affordable for local industries without undermining competitiveness,' he said. 'We're not waiting for perfect conditions—we're pushing ahead with real engagements and infrastructure planning.' Also aiding investor convenience is a streamlined permit system that consolidates approvals across multiple government agencies. 'We had a major breakthrough with the single automatic permit system,' Al Shidhani said. 'Previously, developers needed clearances from 36 entities. That's now down to just nine. Through the newly launched Oman platform, once a project is approved, developers receive access to all requirements, and full land access is granted the next day. This automated system has dramatically reduced administrative bottlenecks.' While underscoring Hydrom's central role in orchestrating Oman's green hydrogen ambitions, Al Shidhani emphasized that the success of the sector depends on collective action. 'Hydrom remains the coordinator, but success hinges on ecosystem partners delivering on their responsibilities,' he said. 'We expect our first hydrogen plant to be operational between 2029 and 2031.' 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
