Adnoc and Oman’s 44.01 scale up carbon-to-rock project

44.01

• Technology mineralises CO2
• Startup 44.01 won Earthshot prize
• Project taking place in Fujairah

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Omani company 44.01 have announced plans to scale up their carbon-to-rock project in the emirate of Fujairah following the successful completion of a pilot initiative.

Muscat-based startup 44.01 – named after the molecule mass for CO2 – uses technology to accelerate a natural process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) is mineralised and removed from the atmosphere.

Adnoc and 44.01 permanently mineralised 10 tonnes of CO2 in Fujairah in under 100 days, and now the two companies will scale up the project, aiming to mineralise 300 tonnes of CO2.

Mineralisation projects can be built quickly and modularly, offering a cost-effective alternative to conventional geological carbon storage.

The project is being carried out in partnership with the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company. 

Talal Hasan, CEO of 44.01, said: “Our pilot project with Adnoc demonstrated the viability of carbon mineralisation in the UAE. We are pleased to be collaborating on scaling up operations and continuing to refine our technology on the way to demonstrating commerciality.”

In 44.01’s approach, CO2 is captured directly from the atmosphere, dissolved in seawater and injected into peridotite formations deep underground, where it permanently mineralises.

In 2022 44.01 won the Earthshot Prize for their mineralisation technique, and have since worked to scale up their operations. Fujairah was selected for the trial and subsequent wider project because of the abundance of peridotite in the emirate, a rock that naturally reacts with CO2 to mineralise it and that is present all around the world. 

At scale, accelerated peridotite mineralisation could eliminate billions of tons of carbon emissions, helping decarbonise vital industries and remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

• Adnoc doubles carbon capture target to 10m tonnes
• Carbon capture and storage not a ‘miracle’ climate cure
• Adnoc issues $615m contract for carbon capture project

The carbon capture company earned $37 million in funding this year from Amazon and other early-stage investors as part of a Stage A funding round.

Carbon capture is playing an increasingly important role in decarbonisation efforts around the world. As part of Adnoc’s carbon management strategy, the company is targeting a carbon capture capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum by 2030.

Sophie Hildebrand, Adnoc’s chief technology officer, said: “Technology is a key enabler of Adnoc’s decarbonisation strategy, and we are pleased to have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of 44.01’s mineralisation technology in Fujairah.

“Carbon capture is an important tool to reduce carbon emissions and meet global climate goals and we look forward to scaling up this project and confirming the commercial viability of carbon mineralisation.”