(MENAFN) Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) has commenced a pilot project in Fujairah that aims to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into rock formations. The project will involve the installation of a direct air capture unit to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, along with the installation of solar panels to power the operation. The oil company is collaborating with Fujairah Natural Resources Corp. and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) to carry out the project. Powered by solar energy supplied by Masdar, the project will use British-Omani geoscience company 44.01's carbon capture and mineralization technology to extract the compound from the atmosphere.

ADNOC CTO Sophie Hildebrand stated that this pilot project marks the latest step in their $15 billion investment into projects that will reduce their carbon footprint and help them achieve their net zero by 2050 ambition. After taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the project will mix it with seawater and inject it into peridotite rock formations underground to safely and permanently mineralize it. ADNOC revealed that Fujairah was specifically chosen for its abundance of peridotite, a type of rock that naturally reacts with carbon dioxide to mineralize it.

The project is the first of its kind in the region and aims to contribute to ADNOC's plans to increase their carbon capture and storage capacity to 5 million tons per year by 2030. In January of this year, the state energy company announced its $15 billion investment in decarbonization projects by 2030. ADNOC's pilot project is a significant milestone in their efforts to reduce emissions and achieve their ambitious sustainability goals. The success of this project could pave the way for other innovative solutions to tackle climate change and promote sustainability in the region.

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