Latest news with #GreenHydrogenStrategy
Observer
27-07-2025
- 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
17-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman launches digital platfrom to track and evaluate Green Hydrogen Ecosystem Readiness Progress
Muscat: Oman's Green Hydrogen Ecosystem Readiness Steering Committee, chaired by His Excellency Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of Hydrom, has launched a dedicated digital gH2 Ecosystem Readiness monitoring platform called 'gHad'. The Hydrom-led initaitive is designed to track sector-wide progress, enhance collaboration, and provide real-time data-driven insights on key initiatives supproting the development of Oman's green hydrogen strategy. The platform builds on the outcomes of the Ecosystem Readiness Lab conducted in September 2024, which identified 26 key initiatives designed to deliver Oman's 2030 green hydrogen production targets. By digitalizing sector-wide coordination, ' gHad' will move Oman's hydrogen strategy from planning to structured execution across five key focus areas including permits, contractors, workforce development, logistics, and local content. Eng. Abdulaziz Said Al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrom said: "Ensuring the readiness of all supporting sectors is critical to delivering Oman's green hydrogen ambitions. ' gHad' is an integral tool to our joint success, providing us with a one-stop-shop to align efforts, address challenges early, and create the right conditions for large-scale project execution. With clear visibility on sector progress, we can support decision-making, strengthen investor confidence, and position Oman as a competitive player in the global hydrogen economy." 'gHad' will serve as a centralized system, integrating key public and private sector stakeholders across multiple sectors, including government entities, infrastructure providers, workforce development institutions, local industries, and regulatory bodies. As Oman progresses towards becoming a global green hydrogen hub, the platform will play a pivitol role in enhancing governance, increasing transparency, and driving data-backed decision making. About Hydrom Hydrom serves as the national orchestrator of Oman's Green Hydrogen Strategy execution and Green Hydrogen economy development. Its mandate includes setting the strategy and advising government on policies and legal framework for the hydrogen sector in addition to delineating government-owned lands earmarked for hydrogen. Hydrom is also responsible for the structuring of large-scale green hydrogen projects, managing the allocation process to developers, and facilitating the development of shared infrastructure and connected ecosystem industries and hubs. Through its role, Hydrom is advancing In-country Value by generating employment, expanding educational resources and developing localized supply chains and industry-adjacent opportunities across the value chain.
