meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Oman to sign hydrogen deals by June

21 February 2023

 

Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom) expects to sign project development and sub-usufruct agreements with the successful bidders for the land blocks being auctioned for integrated green hydrogen projects in Oman by June.

Hydrom has received proposed changes to both documents from interested bidders and expects to reissue the updated agreements by 22 February.

These are understood to be legally binding agreements that will be issued on a "use-it-or-lose-it basis", according to industry sources.

Consortiums and individual companies are preparing to bid by 15 March for the land blocks being auctioned for integrated green hydrogen projects in Oman, as MEED has previously reported.

An extension to the tender closing date cannot be ruled out despite Hydrom expecting to award the contracts in May or April, one of the sources tells MEED.

Hydrom is understood to have received statements of qualification (SOQs) from prospective developers to take part in the auctions.

According to industry sources, the following companies and consortiums have submitted SOQs: 

  • Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa, UAE) / Masdar (UAE) / Jera (Japan)
  • Alfanar Company (Saudi Arabia) 
  • Acme Group (India)
  • EDF (France)
  • BP (UK)
  • Fortescue (Australia)
  • Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) / Posco / Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
  • Marubeni (Japan) / Linde (France) / Dutco (UAE) / OQ (local)
  • Mitsui (Japan)
  • Shell (Netherlands) / OQ (local) / Intercontinental Energy (Singapore) 
  • Total (France)

Hydrom has yet to officially issue a list of prequalified bidders.

It is understood that not all of these companies or consortiums have purchased the request for proposals (RFP) document for the land block auctions.

MEED understands Hydrom will provide developers with desalinated water and hydrogen pipelines as part of the agreements.

Phase A of the land auctions will comprise two bid rounds for integrated green hydrogen projects in Duqm and Thumrait.

According to Hydrom, two blocks will be awarded in the Duqm area by the end of the first quarter of 2023, while four blocks will be awarded in the Thumrait area by the end of 2023.

Oman expects winning developers for the first phase of its programme to deliver integrated projects that cover the full green hydrogen value chain. These projects are expected to include:

  • Renewable energy production: wind/solar mix to ensure competitive levelised cost of hydrogen
  • Hydrogen production: could be polymer electrolyte membrane or alkaline electrolysers
  • Hydrogen derivatives conversion: end product, whether hydrogen, ammonia or methanol, among others, is up to the developers
  • Offtaker: developers are expected to secure offtake for their products

The investor roadshow for the second bid round is expected to be held in April, followed by the qualification phase in May. Contracts for this round are due to be awarded by December.

The planned auctions support Oman’s goal to produce 1 million tonnes a year of green hydrogen by 2030.

Developers are expected to bid as part of consortiums and partner with a government-owned entity after the award.

Hydrom mandate

Hydrom was set up in early 2022 with a directive from Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said to structure and accelerate the development of the green hydrogen sector in the country.

Hydrom is wholly owned by Energy Development Oman (EDO) and regulated by the Energy & Minerals Ministry.

EDO’s mandate includes creating a master plan for the sector, including delineating government-owned land areas, structuring associated large-scale green hydrogen projects, managing the process for their allocation to developers and overseeing their execution, as well as facilitating the development of common infrastructure, connected ecosystem industries and hubs.

It has the right to purchase a minimum of 5 per cent and up to 20 per cent of shares in the green hydrogen projects being set up in the country.

The sultanate has a rapidly growing green hydrogen and green ammonia pipeline. There are plans to build at least 12 such schemes in Oman, requiring a budget of at least $55bn, MEED’s latest data shows. 

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10612420/main.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Tender issued for Libyan gas project

    17 September 2026

    An invitation to bid has been issued for a contract to conduct environmental assessments for the project to expand the Mellitah oil and gas complex in Libya.

    The bid submission deadline is 2pm today (17 September) Libyan time.

    The scope of the project includes provision of:

    • An environmental baseline study (EBS)
    • An environmental impact assessment (EIA)
    • An environmental management plan (EMP)

    The client is Mellitah Oil & Gas (MOG), which is a joint venture of Italy’s Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).

    MOG is based in Tripoli and operates both onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities.

    The joint venture owns and operates six major oil and gas fields across the North African country.

    According to the tender documents, the company that is awarded the contract will need to prepare environmental management measures in compliance with:

    • Libyan environmental legislation
    • Ministry of Environment requirements
    • NOC environmental guidelines
    • Applicable international environmental standards and best practices

    The expansion of the Mellitah oil and gas complex is part of a project estimated to be worth $8bn.

    The wider project is known as the Mellitah Complex Expansion & CO2 Management Integrated Development Project.

    It has six main packages:

    • Onshore package
    • Offshore Structure A
    • Offshore Structure E
    • Subsea pipeline package
    • Site preparation work
    • Carbon capture and storage facility

    Security issues and political instability have been a major problem for Libya’s oil and gas sector since the country’s civil war started in 2011.

    Earlier this month, the Mellitah oil and gas complex was forced to shut down temporarily due to a protest over deteriorating public services.

    The existing onshore complex includes housing, processing units, storage facilities and export facilities.

    It also serves as the launch point for the Greenstream pipeline, which delivers Libyan gas directly to Italy.

    The planned expansion of the complex will involve:

    • Construction of a new fourth gas processing train
    • Construction of a third condensate train
    • Construction of a third natural gas liquids fractionation train
    • Construction of a fourth sulphur recovery unit train
    • Installation of a hydrogen sulphide enrichment unit
    • Installation of a sulphur recovery unit
    • Construction of other associated facilities

    The Mellitah complex is located about 100 kilometres west of Tripoli and is a key energy facility in the west of the country.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/19748920/main.png
    Wil Crisp
  • Nakheel awards $218m Dubai Islands buildings deal

    17 September 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Dubai-based developer Nakheel, now part of Dubai Holding, has awarded a main construction contract worth more than AED800m ($218m) for phases one and three of Bay Grove Residences at Dubai Islands.

    The contract was awarded to the local firm Metac General Contracting Company.

    It covers the construction of 537 apartments, comprising one- to four-bedroom units, across seven residential buildings.

    Phase one includes 296 units in four buildings, while phase three comprises 241 units across three buildings.

    The works are scheduled for completion in late 2028.

    Bay Grove Residences will ultimately comprise 1,154 homes across 15 buildings. Planning is under way for the remaining 617 homes in phases two and four, with further contract awards expected.

    In August last year, Nakheel awarded a AED2.6bn ($708m) contract to Abu Dhabi-based Fibrex Contracting to build the Bay Villas project at Dubai Islands. The contract includes constructing 636 villas.

    In April this year, another AED527m ($143m) contract was awarded to local firm Al-Nasr Contracting Company to construct the primary infrastructure and utilities works on Island B at the development.

    The Dubai Islands development consists of five islands spanning 18.6 square kilometres. It features more than 59 kilometres (km) of waterfront and 20km of beaches, as well as parks, golf courses, promenades and cycling paths.

    The offshore island project gained renewed momentum in 2022, when Nakheel unveiled a new masterplan and rebranded it as Dubai Islands.

    The reclaimed islands were originally part of the Palm Deira project, which was partially completed before being put on hold in 2008.

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

    Nuclear power ambitions gather pace; Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive despite war; Region invests in raising gas processing capacity.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/19748850/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Aldar and Mubadala acquire Masdar City Square

    17 September 2026

    Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company and local developer Aldar have completed the acquisition of Masdar City Square at Masdar City, in a transaction valued at AED918m ($250m).

    The deal was executed through their joint venture established in 2024.

    Masdar City Square comprises more than 47,000 square metres (sq m) of net leasable area across seven office buildings.

    Completed in Q1 2026, the development is 99% occupied. Tenants include Taqa, the Department of Energy, Emirates College and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

    The transaction expands the joint venture’s real estate portfolio in Masdar City, which is now valued at AED4.7bn ($1.3bn).

    Masdar City is one of the region’s leading hubs for clean energy, artificial intelligence, advanced research and sustainable urban development.

    The joint venture acquired The Link project at Masdar City for AED654m ($178m) in April.

    Comprising about 32,000 sq m of net leasable area across five buildings, The Link is fully leased to a portfolio of major tenants, including Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

    The asset includes Grade A, Leed Platinum office space, a net-zero-energy headquarters building, a multi-use hall and residential accommodation, supporting its position as a high-performing, integrated component of Masdar City.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/19748241/main5814.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Neom tenders Oxagon highway contract

    17 September 2026

     

    Saudi Arabia’s Neom has tendered a design-and-build contract covering permanent upgrade works on Highway 55 in the kingdom’s Oxagon region.

    The first phase of the project includes constructing 14 kilometres of road, with two lanes in each direction. It also covers one bridge and three interchanges.

    The project duration is 22 months.

    Contractors have been given until 21 September to submit their proposals.

    Highway 55 connects the Red Sea coast with the mainland in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is currently the only road providing north-south connectivity between Duba and the Neom region.

    MEED exclusively reported in August 2025 that contractors had submitted responses to the expressions of interest notice that Neom had issued earlier that month.

    The project is expected to support the movement of cargo vehicles from Duba Port to other parts of the country and the wider region.

    Neom tested a pilot initiative last year by handling a shipment that travelled from Cairo via the Port of Safaga, across the Red Sea to the Port of Neom, and then inland to Erbil, Iraq.

    In a statement, Neom said: “The shipment travelled through an intermodal corridor spanning over 900 kilometres, marking a significant milestone in the kingdom’s transformation into a regional and global logistics hub.”

    The Port of Neom is located on the Red Sea near the Arar border, a key entry point into Iraq.

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

    Nuclear power ambitions gather pace; Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive despite war; Region invests in raising gas processing capacity.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/19746896/main.gif
    Yasir Iqbal
  • QatarEnergy allows more bidding time for North Field West topsides

    16 September 2026

     

    QatarEnergy has granted contractors additional time to prepare bids for a tender for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of large platforms for the North Field gas field in Qatari waters.

    The deadline for technical bid submissions is 28 September, while commercial bids are due on 10 November, according to sources.

    The following contractors, among others, are understood to be bidding for the North Field West (NFW) production deck modules (PDMs) tender:

    • China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (China)
    • Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (India)
    • McDermott (US)
    • Saipem (Italy)

    The core scope comprises the EPCI of four PDMs and associated structures. The PDMs will increase gas production from North Field reservoirs and provide additional gas feedstock for the NFW liquefied natural gas (LNG) development.

    The tender, issued earlier this year, forms part of the wider NFW project, the third and final phase of the state enterprise’s North Field LNG expansion programme.

    The previous deadlines for the submission of technical bids were 30 August and 15 September, while commercial bids were previously due on 25 October, as MEED reported.

    Before issuing the PDMs tender, QatarEnergy awarded US firm McDermott a contract for the EPCI of four offshore jackets that will also support gas feedstock supply for the NFW LNG project. The contract is estimated to be worth about $200m, MEED reported in January.

    North Field LNG expansion

    QatarEnergy is advancing the three phases of its estimated $40bn North Field LNG expansion project. EPC works on all three projects are progressing.

    QatarEnergy is understood to have committed nearly $30bn to the first two phases – North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) – which will lift Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77.5 million tonnes a year (t/y) to 126 million t/y by 2028.

    QatarEnergy awarded the main EPC contracts for NFE in 2021. The project was intended to raise LNG output to 110 million t/y by 2025. The $13bn EPC package – covering the EPCI of four LNG trains, each with a capacity of 8 million t/y – was awarded in February 2021 to a consortium of Japan’s Chiyoda and France’s Technip Energies.

    In May 2023, QatarEnergy awarded the $10bn main EPC contract for NFS to a consortium of Technip Energies and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). The contract includes two LNG trains, each with a capacity of 7.8 million t/y.

    Once fully operational, the first two phases are expected to add 48 million t/y of LNG supply to the global market.

    QatarEnergy took the final investment decision on NFW earlier this year, awarding an EPC contract estimated at $8bn to a joint venture comprising Technip Energies, CCC and Gulf Asia Contracting in February.

    Chiyoda carried out the front-end engineering and design work for the NFW LNG project.

    The NFW scope covers the EPC of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 16 million t/y, as well as associated facilities for gas treatment, natural gas liquids recovery and helium extraction.

    In addition to LNG, NFW is expected to produce about 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day of condensate, ethane and liquefied petroleum gas.

    With all three phases under EPC execution – and NFE scheduled for commissioning later this year – QatarEnergy is positioning itself to remain one of the world’s largest LNG suppliers in the long term.

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

    Nuclear power ambitions gather pace; Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive despite war; Region invests in raising gas processing capacity.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/19728229/main5518.jpg
    Indrajit Sen