Industry Adnoc produces graphene and hydrogen at Habshan plant By Eva Levesque January 17, 2025, 4:25 PM Reuters/Phil Noble Researchers at the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester, England, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 ‘Miracle material’ from methane UK tech behind process Useful in multiple industries Adnoc Gas has started producing hydrogen and graphene – a “miracle material” stronger than diamond, more conductive than copper and more flexible than rubber. A subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Adnoc Gas has teamed up with Baker Hughes of the US to install decarbonisation technology patented by Levidian, a British climate technology enterprise, to produce more than one tonne per annum (tpa) of graphene and one tpa of hydrogen. Carbon will be captured from methane, the main constituent of natural gas, at the Habshan gas processing plant, which processes around six billion cubic feet of gas daily. “By transforming methane into valuable graphene and clean hydrogen, we are unlocking new value from natural gas, driving decarbonisation and supporting the UAE’s industrial growth and climate ambitions,” Mohamed Al Hashemi, Adnoc Gas COO, said in a statement. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like a honeycomb, was first isolated at the University of Manchester in the UK in 2004. Scientists believe it could become as common as plastic. Worldwide, the graphene market reached $128 million in 2023 and is expected to register 30 percent annual growth by 2032. However, large-scale manufacturing is costly. The graphene produced at the Habshan complex will be evaluated and utilised by Adnoc’s technology team to explore possible applications. The material is touted as having exceptional electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. It has the potential to enhance the performance of electric vehicle batteries and solar panels and create stronger, more durable materials such as concrete, tyres and polymer pipes. It can be used across the aerospace, automotive, renewable energy and construction industries, according to experts. Adnoc to buy 35% stake in ExxonMobil hydrogen plant Abu Dhabi and UK partner plan green hydrogen complex Adnoc’s Abu Dhabi CO2 storage site gets go-ahead The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been exploring graphene applications in environmental technologies as part of economic diversification efforts away from oil and decarbonisation strategies, although their involvement is still in the early stages. In August 2024, scientists from Abu Dhabi were involved in research investigating graphene’s potential to transform the process of CO2 removal from the atmosphere. In 2023, Graphene Innovations Manchester forged a $1 billion partnership with Quazar Investment Company in the UAE to commercialise graphene. The company also signed an agreement with Riyadh-based investment company Organised Chaos to establish the world’s first commercial production facility for graphene-enriched carbon fibre in Saudi Arabia. The hydrogen rainbow Green hydrogen is produced on a carbon-neutral basis through water electrolysis. Turquoise hydrogen is created when natural gas is broken down into hydrogen and solid carbon with the help of methane pyrolysis. Blue hydrogen is generated from the steam reduction of natural gas. Grey hydrogen is obtained by steam reforming fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. Sometimes other colours are ascribed to hydrogen, based on how it is produced. For red, pink and violet hydrogen, the electrolysers are driven by nuclear power. Yellow hydrogen is hydrogen produced from a mixture of renewable energies and fossil fuels. White hydrogen is a waste product of other chemical processes, while the use of coal as a fuel produces brown hydrogen.