MUSCAT: Oman’s ambition to become a global hydrogen export hub is gaining momentum through a strategic collaboration with international partners, focusing on centralised liquefaction. During the inaugural GH2 Investor Day, Rumaitha al Busaidy, Business and ICV Development Manager at Hydrom Oman and Ellen Ruhotas, Head of Hydrogen Midstream at Ecolog, shared insights on advancing Oman’s liquid hydrogen export capabilities.
Al Busaidy highlighted the origins of the partnership, driven by mutual interests between Oman as a hydrogen producer and the Netherlands as a potential buyer. “The journey actually started when two nations... looked at each other and said we need to come up with a way of how we actually make this a reality,” she said, referencing Oman’s production capabilities and the Netherlands’ demand-side potential.
The collaboration aims to establish a commercially viable hydrogen export value chain by connecting Oman's production facilities with European markets through liquefied hydrogen shipments. Ruhotas emphasised the importance of bridging the midstream gap, explaining, “We have strong producers on one side and really strong demand... But no one is talking about how to bridge that gap... Putting something in place which is cost-effective in a market that doesn’t exist.”
REPLICATING LNG SUCCESS
The initiative draws inspiration from the development of the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. Ruhotas recounted how LNG emerged from innovative thinking in the 1950s, enabling its transport across continents. “In 1959, the first LNG ship sailed... Today, there are 700 LNG ships on the water,” she noted, illustrating how Oman’s hydrogen strategy follows a similar path.
The partners aim to build a centralised liquefaction terminal in Oman with a target capacity of 200,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually. “Our study... covers the whole stream, from production... to midstream shipping... reaching the Port of Amsterdam,” Al Busaidy explained. The comprehensive approach includes technical, commercial and environmental studies ensuring feasibility.
ENGINEERING CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS
Developing a liquid hydrogen export system presents unique engineering challenges due to hydrogen's cryogenic nature, requiring storage at -253°C. Ruhotas explained, “It’s not new... NASA and the semiconductor industry have been using liquid hydrogen for many years.” However, scaling up requires specialised liquefaction technology and shipping solutions.
The team’s engineering concept includes constructing a liquefaction terminal near Oman's hydrogen production sites, supported by two liquefaction trains with a combined capacity of 300 metric tonnes each. Ruhotas highlighted a critical innovation: minimising cargo boil-off during shipping. “We do not want to burn the cargo... ensuring we can retain all the cargo as we sail,” she stressed, emphasising cost efficiency.
The project also envisions building hydrogen import terminals in Europe. Ruhotas described the proposed terminal in the Port of Amsterdam, which would regasify liquid hydrogen for industrial use and export liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from carbon-intensive industries. “The facility has a dual purpose... regasifying green hydrogen... and taking CO2 out that the industry has had to abate,” she said.
Potential hydrogen users include hard-to-electrify industries such as brick and glass manufacturing, as well as data centers and food processing facilities. “The food industry... has a high willingness to pay,” Ruhotas noted, citing Starbucks’ use of green hydrogen to roast coffee beans in Amsterdam.
Both speakers expressed confidence in the project’s progress, supported by feasibility studies and evolving hydrogen market dynamics. Al Busaidy concluded, “Our study... shows it is going to be very commercially feasible... and we are covering the whole value chain... in a sustainable way.”
Last year, the Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals and Hydrom have signed a Joint Study Agreement (JSA) with the Port of Amsterdam, Zenith Energy Terminals, and GasLog to collaborate on the development of a liquid hydrogen route to market for green hydrogen produced in Oman.
The partnership entails conducting a detailed assessment for an open-access hydrogen liquefaction, storage and export facility in Oman, coupled with specialised vessels under development by GasLog for hydrogen transport. The project envisions establishing a green hydrogen corridor linking Oman with the Netherlands, where the terminal of Zenith Energy will receive, regasify and distribute the hydrogen to European industries.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
