e-methane pilot project planned at Oman LNG

Plans for an e-methane pilot project at Oman LNG’s complex at Qalhat are at the heart of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the majority Omani state-owned LNG company with Japanese energy firms earlier this week.

The demo project, targeting an e-methane production capacity of 1,200 Nm3/h (normal cubic metres per hour), is proposed to be established close to Oman LNG’s liquefaction trains. The overall success of this pilot is expected to pave the way for Oman LNG to install methanation equipment at its Qalhat complex, enabling the large-scale production of e-methane (also known as Synthetic Methane or Synthetic Natural Gas) as a carbon-neutral renewable fuel gas.

The MoU, signed by Oman LNG with Japanese industrial and engineering corporation Hitachi Zosen and its 100% Swiss based subsidiary Hitachi Zosen Inova AG (HZI), centres on an initiative to decarbonize the operations of Oman LNG through the methanation process. In this process, CO2 captured from Oman LNG’s operations is processed along with green hydrogen (from water electrolysis) to produce e-methane. The latter can be either marketed independently as a renewable fuel source or injected into the Oman LNG’s liquefaction process to produce a greener version of LNG.

Importantly, the latest MoU stems from a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed by Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry back in December 2022. That MoC, part of a bid by both countries to achieve their net-zero greenhouse gas emission targets by 2050, prioritises cooperation in the fields of carbon recycling, including hydrogen, ammonia and methanation.

“The MoU is based on the Memorandum of Cooperation between the two countries and aims to implement methanation equipment in LNG plants owned by the Oman LNG and to utilise emitted CO2 as a resource,” said Hitachi Zosen Corporation in a statement.

“The MoU intends to study the commercial prospects for a small pilot plant (methanation equipment, water-electrolysis equipment, etc.) at a site adjacent to the existing LNG plant and produce 1,200N㎥/h of e-methane,” it further added.

According to the Osaka-headquartered corporation, the MoU will seek to leverage Hitachi Zosen Group’s extensive knowledge and experience in methanation, as well as its water electrolysis and water treatment technologies, for producing the hydrogen required for the methanation.

Significantly, funding for the pilot e-methane plant’s basic design and the evaluation of its commercialisation will come as part of a grant from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. The Japanese government’s 2024 Subsidy Programme earmarks funds for “Oil Refining Technology Projects in Oil-Producing Countries (for projects to support strengthening relations with resource-rich countries to secure oil and natural gas rights and stable supplies)”, Hitachi Zosen added.

Source: Oman Observer