Aramco and SABIC Lead with World's First Blue Hydrogen Certification
Dhahran, Wednesday, 15 January 2025.
Aramco and SABIC received the first-ever global certification for blue hydrogen and ammonia. This milestone boosts their role in the hydrogen economy, aiming for 11 million tonnes by 2030.
Historic Certification Achievement
I’m excited to share that TUV Rheinland, a leading German certification agency, has granted this groundbreaking certification to SABIC Agri-Nutrients and Aramco’s SASREF refinery in Jubail [1]. The certification covers an impressive 37,800 tonnes of blue ammonia for SABIC and 8,075 tonnes of blue hydrogen for Aramco [1]. This certification verifies that a significant portion of CO2 from the manufacturing process is captured and utilized in downstream applications [1].
Strategic Vision and Recent Developments
As I look at Aramco’s recent moves, they’re clearly positioning themselves as a leader in sustainable energy. Just yesterday, on January 14, 2025, they signed a significant agreement with Linde and SLB to develop what could become one of the world’s largest CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) hubs in Jubail Industrial City [3]. This facility aims to store 9 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2027 [3], which will be crucial for their blue hydrogen production capabilities.
Expanding Clean Energy Portfolio
The timing of these developments is particularly strategic. With Aramco’s recent venture into transition minerals through a joint venture with Ma’aden announced on January 14, 2025 [6], I can see how they’re building a comprehensive clean energy ecosystem. Their commitment to sustainability is further demonstrated by their goal to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 [3].
Future Impact and Industry Leadership
Looking ahead, these certifications mark just the beginning. Aramco and SABIC have already demonstrated their capabilities with the world’s first shipment of blue ammonia to Japan [1]. With Aramco holding a 60% equity interest in the new CCS hub [3], and their collaboration with global technology leaders, they’re well-positioned to achieve their ambitious target of producing 11 million tonnes of blue ammonia annually by 2030 [1].