meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Abu Dhabi to tap Kezad for hydrogen plan

10 October 2023

The Khailfa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad) is expected to play a key role in the UAE capital's plan to establish a green hydrogen ecosystem.

The sprawling Khalifa Industrial complex, as well as the economic zone's proximity to the Khalifa Port, are expected to incentivise potential green hydrogen and green ammonia production plant developers and investors to locate at Kezad, sources familiar with the plans tell MEED.     

The preliminary plan entails allocating space and land for electrolysis plants, powered by solar, wind or hydro power plants that are connected to the grid.

The hydrogen can then be converted into ammonia, stored in tank farms and exported through specialised vessels similar to liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers.

Kezad, or the Khalifa Industrial complex, is the location of several planned green hydrogen projects, including a $1bn scheme being planned by South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) and its plant subsidiary Korea Western Power and Samsung C&T, along with Dubai-headquartered Petrolyn Chemie.

The three companies signed a joint development agreement (JDA) with Abu Dhabi officials for the first phase of the planned scheme in June last year.

Hydrogen policy

Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) is expected to issue a public policy on low-carbon hydrogen around or during the upcoming Cop28 climate summit, MEED reported on 9 October.

The policy was initially expected to be issued earlier this year.

There are 11 known and planned green hydrogen projects in the UAE, with a budget of at least $12bn, according to MEED data.

In addition to the planned $5bn green hydrogen hub planned between Masdar and Engie, the other major planned green hydrogen projects in  Abu Dhabi involve its largest industrial firms including Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), Emirates Steel, Fertiglobe and Brooge.

One of these projects, the 150MW green hydrogen-based ammonia production facility planned in Ruwais, is in an advanced stage of planning and study.

A consortium led by French utility developer and investor Engie in partnership with Fertiglobe and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) will develop the project. The team expects to take a final investment decision (FID) on the project by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Policy framework

MEED reported in March this year that the Abu Dhabi DoE developed the policy, which was approved by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and whose draft was issued for public consultation in October last year.

The policy aims to adopt a clear and robust framework to enable a low-carbon hydrogen economy, including defining Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon hydrogen industry structure and the supporting regulatory mechanism to “provide confidence for both domestic and international investors”.

The suggested industry structure and the institutional design consist of production, storage, transportation and trading.

The policy document states: “In the industry structure conceived for Abu Dhabi, production, trading and supply are open to market, while storage and transportation through pipelines are likely to be natural monopoly arrangement that in due course, will be regulated like other activities in the energy sector.”

MEED understands early-stage regulation will be considered to ensure access to clean energy and water, public safety, security and other key technical standards.

The policy also covers the entire low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem including enabling so-called hydrogen valleys, where different low-carbon hydrogen production technologies can be collocated to drive system-wide cost optimisation, including sharing of infrastructure and facilities.

It also considers clean electricity clusters that will supply power to electrolysers to produce low-carbon hydrogen. These clusters will be partially isolated with only a backup connection to the electricity grid. They are expected to allow large-scale clean electricity generation and supply at a competitive cost.

The policy supports the UAE hydrogen leadership roadmap to capture up to 25 per cent of the global low-carbon hydrogen market by 2030 as well as to be among the top 10 global suppliers by 2031.

It also supports the country’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions strategy.

The final policy is expected to be issued separately from the Abu Dhabi hydrogen strategy, which was also due earlier this year.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11205034/main.gif
Jennifer Aguinaldo

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Qiddiya seeks contractors for indoor arena project

    22 June 2026

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has invited contractors to prequalify for a contract to build an indoor sports arena within its Qiddiya entertainment city project.

    The invitation was issued on 21 May, with a submission deadline of 28 June.

    The multipurpose arena is designed to International Olympic Committee standards.

    It will be located in District 18, in the Uptown South area of Qiddiya.

    Once completed, the indoor arena will be capable of hosting a wide range of sports, cultural and entertainment events.

    The arena will feature numerous sports courts for basketball, handball, futsal, volleyball, tennis, boxing and gymnastics.

    It will have a seating capacity of 18,000 spectators.

    The project is scheduled for completion by 2030.

    QIC’s other major projects include an e-sports arena, the National Tennis Centre, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, a racecourse, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.

    QIC opened the Six Flags theme park to the public in December last year.

    The park covers 320,000 square metres and features 28 rides and attractions, including 10 thrill rides and 18 aimed at families and young children.

    The Qiddiya project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17375504/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Egypt signs gas deal with Harbour Energy

    22 June 2026

    Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources has signed a new agreement with London-headquartered Harbour Energy.

    Under the scope of the agreement, Harbour Energy will drill two new exploration wells and carry out maintenance work for one of the existing wells within the Dsouq-1 development contract.

    Harbour Energy committed an initial $6m investment and a $1m signing bonus for the Dsouq concession. Total investment could rise to $18m if commercial discoveries are made.

    The signing was witnessed by Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum, Karim Badawi.

    He said that his ministry is continuing to implement a package of investment measures and incentives aimed at encouraging partners to increase investments and intensify exploration, development and production activities.

    The agreement was signed by Syed Saleem, a member of the executive branch of the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), and Samah Sabry, the executive director of Harbour Energy for the Middle East and North Africa region.

    Harbour Energy drilled two new wells in Egypt during the fiscal year 2025/2026, resulting in the addition of reserves estimated at 35 billion cubic feet of gas.

    The company aims to drill three new exploration wells during the fiscal year 2026/2027.

    Egypt is currently pushing to boost the production of both oil and gas in its territory.

    Earlier this month, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources announced that it had fully settled all outstanding arrears owed to oil and gas companies.

    Two years ago, in June 2024, the country owed approximately $6.1bn to partners in the oil and gas sector.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17374536/main4731.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Iran invites companies to register for Kharg Oil Terminal development

    22 June 2026

     

    Iran has invited companies to participate in a project to develop the existing Kharg Oil Terminal, according to documents released by the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company and Iranian Oil Terminals Company.

    The project focuses on developing units capable of receiving, storing and exporting extra-heavy West Karun crude oil at a rate of 700,000 barrels a day.

    The scope of the project includes design, purchase, installation and commissioning of the new facility.

    The contract will use the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model, according to the tender documents.

    The project aims to use existing oil storage tanks and reconstruct the deepwater crude oil export berth known as Berth Number One.

    The berth known as Berth Number Three will serve as a backup berth for the project.

    The winning bidder for the contract will be responsible for a range of works, including:

    • Carrying out all stages of verification of the project’s basic design, design and engineering
    • Supply and procurement of goods and materials
    • Execution and installation
    • Pre-commissioning and commissioning

    The project is expected to take 30 months to complete, and the winning contractor will also be responsible for maintaining the facility for a further 12 months.

    Companies that wish to submit bids need to do so through Iran’s Government Electronic Procurement System (Setad).

    Companies interested in participating in the tender have seven days from the publication of the tender notice to receive the documents.

    They then have a further 14 days to upload the required documents into the government procurement system.

    Iran exports most of its oil via the Kharg Oil Terminal on Kharg Island.

    US President Donald Trump said strikes in mid-March “obliterated” Kharg’s military assets but did not target the island’s oil infrastructure.

    He warned that if Iran continued disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, he would reconsider the decision to spare energy targets on the island.

    Trump has threatened several times to take “control” of Kharg Island, but he has not yet followed through on this threat.

    The small coral island is located 33 kilometres from Iran’s coast and has strategic importance because Iran’s coastline is mostly too shallow for large tanker ships to dock.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17374518/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • EtihadWE tenders water storage and pipeline project

    22 June 2026

    Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE) has invited bids for the construction of a 4-million-imperial-gallon reinforced cement concrete water tank in Madam, Sharjah.

    The scope also includes a DN1000 ductile iron transmission pipeline in Fujairah.

    Madam is located in eastern Sharjah, close to the Fujairah border and within EtihadWE’s Northern Emirates water network.

    MEED understands that the DN1000 transmission pipeline will serve the proposed 4-million-imperial-gallon water tank

    The bid submission deadline is 29 June. Technical proposals will be opened on the same date.

    EtihadWE said the tender is open to experienced and prequalified engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors registered on its vendor list and holding a valid prequalification certificate.

    The utility previously completed a separate water transmission project involving a DN1000 pipeline from the Ghayl New Water Distribution Centre in Ras Al-Khaimah to Madam.

    The local Dhafir Technologies was the EPC contractor.

    The project attracted 16 bids for the main contract during procurement. Among the bidders were Darwish Engineering Emirates (UAE), Green Oasis General Contracting Company (UAE), Lindenberg (UAE), Tamas Projects (UAE), Tecton (UAE) and Wade Adams (UAE).

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17347317/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Contractor appointed for The Carlyle Residences DIFC

    22 June 2026

     

    Local construction firm Dubai Contracting Company has won a contract to build The Carlyle Residences project in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area.

    The contract was awarded by Dubai-based real estate developer H&H Development.

    The Carlyle Residences by H&H Development will be the first Carlyle-branded residential development outside New York.

    The 33-storey tower will comprise approximately 40 two- to five-bedroom apartments.

    UK-based David Chipperfield Architects is the project architect.

    French firm Tristan Auer is the project’s interior designer.

    Dubai-based enabling firm Swissboring is undertaking the project’s foundation works.

    The latest contract award follows H&H Development’s appointment of Dubai-based construction firm Al-Futtaim Contracting to build 142 villas at Eden Hills in Dubai.

    Separately, in February, H&H and Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company announced the launch of the Eden House residential project in Abu Dhabi.

    The project will offer more than 200 residential units across 60 floors and was designed by Dubai-based architectural firm dxb Lab.

    The development will be located on Abu Dhabi’s Al-Maryah Island.

    H&H’s latest contract awards in the UAE market come amid heightened real estate and construction activity, with schemes worth more than $323bn at the execution or planning stages, according to UK-based analytics firm GlobalData.

    GlobalData forecasts that output from the UAE’s residential construction sector will grow by 3% in real terms in 2026-29, supported by infrastructure, energy and utilities developments, as well as residential construction projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17346200/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal