DNV has awarded ADNOC a CO2 storage certificate at the site endorsement stage for its West Aquifer project in the UAE. This certification confirms the site’s capability for safe, long-term carbon storage and validates the project’s subsurface characterisation, containment and risk management. This milestone supports ADNOC’s decarbonisation goals and reinforces the UAE’s position in large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment. DNV’s recognition highlights the West Aquifer’s potential as a significant, large-scale carbon storage site for the Middle East.
Key details of the certification:
- Project: West Aquifer storage development
- Location: United Arab Emirates
- Stage: Site Endorsement
- Standards: ISO 27914:2017 (carbon dioxide capture, transportation and geological storage)
- Key validations: Subsurface characterisation, reservoir understanding, containment assessment and risk management framework
- Goal: To support ADNOC’s ambition to reach net-zero by 2045 and increase carbon capture capacity to 10 million tonnes per annum by 2030
Brice Le Gallo, Vice President and Regional Director for Southern Europe, MEA & LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV, commented: “This certification is a pivotal step for ADNOC and an important moment for CCS deployment across the region. The West Aquifer site has the potential to become one of the anchors for large-scale CCS deployment in the Middle East, helping industries to decarbonise in a safe, credible and internationally recognised way. By meeting the stringent requirements of ISO 27914 at the site endorsement stage, ADNOC is demonstrating leadership, transparency and a commitment to building the confidence needed for accelerated CCS investment across the region.”
DNV’s recently published “Oil & Gas Decarbonization in the Gulf Region” report highlights that CCS is central to decarbonising industry, oil and gas, and enabling low-carbon blue hydrogen in the Gulf region. Certification to international standards such as ISO 27914 assures stakeholders that CO2 storage sites have undergone a rigorous, evidence-based review, while helping developers manage early-stage risks and avoid costly design flaws.
In the photo: Brice Le Gallo, Vice President and Regional Director for Southern Europe, MEA & LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV, and Ayesha Abdul Rahman Al Marzouqi, Senior Vice President, EOR/CCUS & Water Management ADNOC – Upstream. Photo courtesy of DNV
