Oman's HyDuqm hydrogen project eyes FID in 2027
HyDuqm represents a joint venture set up by six leading global companies comprising POSCO Holdings, Samsung Engineering Company Limited, Korea East-West Power Company Limited, Korea Southern Power Company Limited, MESCAT Middle East DMCC (a subsidiary of ENGIE from France), and FutureTech Energy Ventures Limited (FTEV) - the clean energy arm of Thai energy conglomerate PTTEP.
In 2023, the JV partners won a concession from Hydrom, the master-planner of Oman's green hydrogen (GH2) economy, to develop a GH2 project in Block Z1-02 in Al Wusta Governorate. The project targets an annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes of green ammonia, focusing on clean energy production from green hydrogen.
According to PTTEP subsidiary FTEV, the partners of HyDuqm are currently 'in the process of assessing wind and solar energy potential (Renewable Resource Assessment) and conducting a feasibility study to evaluate the investment value and profitability of the project prior starting engineering design'.
Significantly, FTEV's role as a JV partner in HyDuqm is the latest addition to parent organization PTTEP's expanding presence in Oman's energy industry. 'This investment supports the growth of new businesses aligning with the Company's business plan and provides an opportunity to apply knowledge and experience in green hydrogen production in Thailand, in line with future energy policies,' PTTEP noted in its recently issued 2024 Annual Report.
'PTTEP completed the installation of wind and solar potential measurement stations and has begun collecting data to support the project operations. The ongoing feasibility study phase includes geographical, geotechnical, and hydrological assessments, as well as a Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Pre-ESIA),' it further stated.
The feasibility study, according to the Thai state-owned energy giant, will also help determine the amount of required capital expenditure and economic return before proceeding to the engineering design phase in 2025.
The Annual Report also shed light on the performance of PTTEP's portfolio of investments in the upstream and midstream segments of Oman's oil and gas sector. One of its largest investments is in Block 61 in central Oman, which accounts for around a third of Oman's gas production. PTTEP owns a 20 per cent interest in the BP-operated concession. In 2024, natural gas and condensate production averaged 1,511 MMSCFD (approximately 267,746 barrels of oil equivalent per day - BOED) and 56,087 bpd respectively.
Production from Block 6 – the largest producing oil asset in central Oman – averaged 66,490 bpd of crude oil in 2024. PTTEP Group holds a 2 per cent participating interest in this project, with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) as the operator.
In south Oman, PTTEP Group holds a 1 per cent participating interest in Block 53 (also known as the Mukhaizna field) with Occidental as the operator. In 2024, the average crude oil production was 75,227 bpd. Recently, Oman's Ministry of Energy and Minerals signed an agreement to extend the Block 53 Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA) with Occidental and its partners until 2050.
Rounding off its upstream assets is Block 12, a large onshore natural gas exploration block in central Oman. PTTEP Group holds a 20 per cent participating interest in the project, with TotalEnergies as the operator. In 2024, two exploration wells were completed, while geological and geophysical studies are currently underway.
PTTEP subsidiary PTTEP Oman E&P Corporation (POC), formerly Partex Oman Corporation, also has a 2 percent stake in Oman LNG LLC and an indirect 0.7 per cent stake in Qalhat LNG.
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