ADNOC, BP and Masdar sign new strategic partnership

Oil companies BP and Masdar together with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have agreed a strategic energy partnership with the aim of developing new technology development and innovation centres. The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

ADNOC and BP were the first to team up in the UAE to study the feasibility of possible joint projects for a low-carbon hydrogen project. The partnership has been joined by Masdar, which has entered into joint agreements to explore the production of sustainable fuels for the aviation sector in the UAE. The aim of this new project is to create jet fuel using green solar hydrogen and municipal waste gasification, drawing on the capabilities of UAE's Tadweer (Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre) and Etihad Airways.

When asked about the new agreements adopted by the oil companies, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed stated that "ADNOC and Masdar's deeper partnership with BP is a testament to the long-standing relationship between the UAE and the UK; history of bilateral partnership in sustainability, as well as the UAE's intention to play a leading role in the fast-growing clean hydrogen economy both domestically and internationally," adding: "To that end, we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with BP in both the UAE and the UK, laying the groundwork for a deeper commercial partnership in the area of new energy and clean technologies. In the UK, our role on Teesside will represent ADNOC's first step in investing in the UK and will help accelerate innovation in energy decarbonisation in industrial sectors. Similarly, the collaboration of partners in Abu Dhabi is expected to further position the UAE as a leader in low-carbon energy and technology-driven industrial growth."

Bernard Looney, chief executive of BP, said: "The involvement of ADNOC and Masdar reinforces the global leadership role that Teesside and the UK can play across the board in leading the development of low carbon hydrogen for low carbon economies. From supply chains to skills, Teesside and BP are ready," adding: "Our partnership with ADNOC and Masdar extends internationally and will be able to help decarbonise some of the world's hardest to reduce sectors, such as industrial manufacturing, energy and aviation, in a sustainable way. I would like to thank the UAE for its continued commitment to the energy transition. Partnerships like this go beyond borders to provide the new energy solutions the world needs."

For his part, Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel al-Ramahi commented that "today's announcements will strengthen the strategic partnership between Masdar, ADNOC and BP and continue to drive clean energy innovation for both the UAE and the UK. Masdar has been a long-standing investor in UK renewables and we will leverage our expertise in offshore wind and sustainable aviation fuels to support the energy transition of both nations as we consolidate the UAE's leading position in the emerging green hydrogen economy."

Green hydrogen, or low-carbon hydrogen, is produced from water and renewable energy. The energy, obtained from renewable sources, is achieved by electrosisis. This is a process that breaks down water molecules (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). In this way, hydrogen is obtained in a clean way, and represents a radical change in the way it is produced, as historically hydrogen has been obtained through fossil fuels.