Having snagged firm commitments to the tune of $30 billion in green hydrogen schemes, Oman’s authorities have formally commenced the task of putting in place the massive common-use infrastructure that will undergird these multibillion dollar ventures.
Spearheading this task is Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom), the orchestrator and master planner of Oman's green hydrogen industry. The independent entity, a subsidiary of Energy Development Oman (EDO), which has pledged to work with developers, as well as specialized local and international utility service providers, to ensure the provision of utility corridors vital for the successful and cost-competitive operation of the mega projects.
These common utilities will include, among other components, pipelines for the transportation of ultrapure desalinated water for electricity, potable water and wastewater, and potential hydrogen gas, in addition to electrical networks, specialised storage capacity for hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, and so on.
According to Abdulaziz al Shidhani (pictured), Managing Director of Hydrom, planning for the common-use infrastructure is now underway. Speaking to The Energy Year, a well-known UK-based energy industry news portal, Al Shidhani said: “Hydrom has recently kick-started a common-use infrastructure stream and is working hand in hand with the national champions, namely OQ Gas Network, Nama Group for electricity and water, and other Oman Investment Authority utility service companies – and definitely under the steerage of the energy ministry – to fast-track the development of the common infrastructure needed for the five projects Hydrom has already signed in Al Wusta, as well as another five to six projects targeted for signing in the second round in Dhofar for both the public auction and the remaining legacy initiatives.”
Development of the common-use infrastructure is expected to span 6 – 7 years through to 2030, when the majority of the green hydrogen projects are expected to be commercially operational.
“Speed and cost are key objectives set for the first pieces of common infrastructure to be developed. I strongly believe that we are well positioned in Oman to deliver on our promises by leveraging our national champions’ technical, financial and project execution capabilities, as well as the international partnerships we are exploring on this front,” Hydrom’s Managing Director noted.
To help ensure that the common-use infrastructure is robust and suited to the requirements of the project developers, Hydrom hosted a strategic workshop with key stakeholders “to explore the best model to provide optimal configuration for the common use infrastructure that maximises in-country value and attracts foreign direct investment”, according to the official.
To this end, Hydrom has been working closely with various national champions, notably OQ Gas Networks, Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) and Nama Water – all of which have ambitions to venture into the green hydrogen space as part of their growth strategies, he noted. Besides developing the required utilities within the hydrogen clusters envisioned deep in the hinterlands of Oman, the national champions will also establish connectivity with the industrial hubs and export terminals on the coast.
At the same time, Hydrom is also coordinating with the country’s three main ports at Salalah, Duqm and Suhar to ensure they are fully in alignment with the country’s overall strategy for the green hydrogen economy, he added.
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