April 1, 2025 - Aramco has launched Saudi Arabia's first CO2 Direct Air Capture (DAC) test unit, designed to remove 12 tons of carbon dioxide annually from the atmosphere. Developed in partnership with Siemens Energy, the pilot plant aims to test next-generation CO2 capture materials in Saudi Arabia's unique climate and reduce costs for broader DAC deployment. Aramco and Siemens Energy plan to scale up the technology, laying the groundwork for large-scale DAC facilities in the future.
Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, emphasized the importance of DAC technologies in reducing emissions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors. The CO2 captured can also be used to create sustainable chemicals and fuels.
This initiative highlights Aramco's focus on carbon capture as a critical part of its strategy to achieve net-zero and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The company is exploring both point-source and atmospheric CO2 capture as part of its circular carbon economy approach.
The DAC test facility follows the December 2024 announcement of a shareholders' agreement with Linde and SLB for the development of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) hub in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, which will have the capacity to capture nine million tonnes of CO2 from Aramco gas plants and other industrial sources.