November 29, 2022 [Upstream Media] – Adnoc says its “net zero by 2050” ambition covers operational Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has highlighted its aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050, in line with the wider target earlier announced by the government of the United Arab Emirates.
In a high-level meeting, the company’s board directed Adnoc to pursue “a net zero by 2050 ambition to support the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative”, the company said on Monday.
Adnoc is the second key Persian Gulf oil and gas producer to announce a long-term drive towards net zero.
State-owned Saudi Aramco last year announced it is targeting net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its wholly-owned operating assets by 2050.
Middle East oil and gas giants are spending billions of dollars to scale up their production capacities, but are also preparing to invest heavily in energy transition initiatives, primarily led by hydrogen and carbon capture and storage projects.
Adnoc said that its net zero by 2050 goal “is underpinned by a continued focus on key decarbonisation levers of energy efficiency and operational excellence across the value chain, large scale implementation of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and the use of renewable energy sources”.
Low carbon solutions
The company added that, as part of its strategy, it will establish a new Low Carbon Solutions & International Growth division focused on new energies, gas, liquefied natural gas and chemicals.
Chief executive Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber said the company’s “net zero by 2050” goal is placing sustainability at the centre of Adnoc’s growth.
“The world needs maximum energy, minimum emissions and it needs all the energy solutions if we are to ensure global energy security,” he said.
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Al-Jaber added that Adnoc “is committed to making today’s energy cleaner while investing in the clean energies of tomorrow to strengthen its position as a reliable and responsible energy provider”.
“As we deliver on these objectives, we will continue to drive greater and more sustainable value for the UAE, create opportunities for the private sector to benefit from Adnoc’s growth and enable more skilled job opportunities for UAE nationals,” he added.
Methane intensity
Adnoc recently set a new methane intensity target of 0.15% for its upstream operations by 2025, as the company aims to fast-track energy transition plans, while also expanding its oil and gas production capacities.
“The new target of 0.15% methane intensity reflects industry best practices that report total volume of upstream methane emissions from all operated upstream oil and gas assets and where emissions intensity is calculated as a percentage of the volume of total gas marketed,” Adnoc said.
While the company has announced its new methane intensity target for 2025, it did not reveal its current methane intensity for upstream operations.
Adnoc has previously highlighted its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 25% by 2030.
Significant investments
Adnoc has said it will be “making significant investments in new technologies” to improve its environmental performance and reduce its methane emissions.
The company previously stated that as part of its sustainability strategy, it plans to “test and deploy the latest in emissions detection and quantification technologies by 2023”.
National oil companies in the Middle East see themselves as under growing pressure from Western nations and international investors to speed up their energy transition, as they continue to spend billions of dollars on scaling up their oil production capacities.
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