OQGN to support Oman, Belgium energy alliance

MUSCAT, DEC 9

OQ Gas Networks (OQGN), the operator of Oman’s natural gas transportation network, says its partnership with Belgium-based energy infrastructure group Fluxys will help contribute to the strategic development of a green energy corridor between the Sultanate of Oman and Belgium.

Last week, Hydrom – the orchestrator of Oman’s green hydrogen industry – signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Belgian Hydrogen Council – a grouping of Belgian hydrogen sector stakeholders, aimed at fostering collaboration between the two countries across the wider clean energy ecosystem. The MoU was signed against the backdrop of the official visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Belgium.

In a post, OQGN – part of OQ Group – said it intends to leverage its partnership with Fluxys, currently a 4.9 per cent shareholder in the Omani company, to support this initiative. It referenced in this regard an MoU signed by the two parties in October last year aimed at exploring strategic cooperation in the development of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) infrastructure projects in support of Oman’s decarbonisation objectives.

“At OQGN - Oman’s exclusive owner and operator of the natural gas transmission network - we are driven to expand in the fields of hydrogen and carbon capture. We are committed to strengthening our strategic partnership with Belgium based Fluxys to achieve our goals of developing a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure, in alignment with Oman Vision 2040, and supporting the achievement of net-zero emissions by 2050,” the publicly traded Omani company said.

OQGN, majority-owned by the government through integrated energy group OQ, also affirmed its goal to venture into the hydrogen and CO2 infrastructure space. Auguring well for these objectives is its dominant role in the ownership and management of the country’s 4,223km-long gas transmission network, which transported a record 42 billion cubic metres of gas in 2023.

A future hydrogen pipeline network is envisioned to link Salalah and Al Jazer in Dhofar Governorate with Duqm in (Al Wusta Governorate) and Sur and Suhar in the north of the country. CO2 pipeline infrastructure, on the other hand, will be designed to support Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) projects as part of Oman’s decarbonisation goals. A CO2 network will likely link Salalah with oilfield areas in the south of the country, with similar segments connecting Sur, Muscat and Suhar with oilfield hubs in the north.

“OQGN with its partners is collaborating, conceptualizing and developing hydrogen and CCUS pipeline infrastructure in line with Oman Vision 2040 and Oman’s Net Zero Emissions target by 2050,” it said.

It noted in particular the potential of its partnership with Fluxys to support a future “green hydrogen corridor” from Oman to Belgium and Europe beyond.

“This partnership is a natural fit between the two countries with shared visions and aspirations in growth into renewables and decarbonisation, and would unlock huge potential in Oman and Europe,” it added.

Headquartered in Brussels, Fluxys operates over 28,000 km of pipelines across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The company also manages LNG terminals in in Belgium, France, Greece and Chile, besides operating underground gas storage facilities in Belgium.