Aramco launches Saudi Arabia’s first CO2 Direct Air Capture test unit

Saudi Aramco launched the Kingdom’s first CO2 Direct Air Capture (DAC) test unit, capable of removing 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere.

 

In an emailed statement to Argaam, Aramco said the pilot plant, developed in collaboration with Siemens Energy, represents a significant step in the company’s efforts to expand on its DAC capabilities.

 

Saudi Aramco intends to use the facility as a testing platform for next-generation CO2 capture materials in Saudi Arabia’s distinct climate. It will also seek to achieve cost reductions that could help accelerate the deployment of DAC technologies in the region.

 

Aramco and Siemens Energy intend to continue working closely together with the aim of scaling up the technology, potentially laying the foundations for large-scale DAC facilities in the future.

 

Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, said: “Technologies that directly capture carbon dioxide from the air will likely play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions moving forward, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors.”

 

The test facility launched by Aramco is a key step in our efforts to scale up viable DAC systems, for deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. In addition to helping address emissions, the CO2 extracted through this process can in turn be used to produce more sustainable chemicals and fuels, Al-Meshari added.

 

Such projects illustrate Aramco’s strong focus on carbon capture, which represents a key pillar in the Company’s ambition to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050.

 

The company is exploring options to capture CO2 both at the point of emissions and directly from the atmosphere, through its circular carbon economy approach and the deployment of innovative technology solutions.

 

The launch of the DAC test facility follows the December 2024 announcement that Aramco and its partners, Linde and SLB, had signed a shareholders’ agreement that paves the way for the development of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) hub in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

 

Phase one of the CCS hub will have the capacity to capture nine million tonnes of CO2 from three Aramco gas plants and other industrial sources.