Abu Dhabi state oil company Adnoc has delivered a 13t test cargo of blue ammonia to German metals firm Aurubis—the first low-carbon ammonia shipment from the UAE to Germany.

Adnoc signed an agreement in March this year to supply blue ammonia to Aurubis as well as German energy companies RWE, Steag and Gewec. The firm is also due to test exports of blue hydrogen to the port of Wilhelmshaven using liquid organic hydrogen carrier technology.

Adnoc sold its first demonstration cargoes of blue ammonia, produced by its fertiliser venture Fertiglobe at the Ruwais industrial complex, at “an attractive premium to grey ammonia” to Japanese firms Itochu, Idemitsu and Inpex in 2021. The state company is expected to take FID on its 1mn t/yr blue ammonia facility at the new Ta’ziz industrial complex this year, with startup expected for 2025.

“The creation of a blue—and in the future, green—ammonia value chain between Germany and the UAE is not just theoretically possible, but practically feasible” Harings, Aurubis

Aurubis plans to use the ammonia in an eight-week pilot testing the partial replacement of natural gas in the production of copper wire rod. The company says the use of ammonia can reduce the amount of natural gas required in the process by up to 20pc.

“We want our production to be climate-neutral well before 2050. Ammonia can be an important component of the hydrogen supply chain to achieve this goal,” says Aurubis CEO Roland Harings.

“This pilot project highlights the pioneering role we play in the decarbonisation of our industry,” he continues. “It demonstrates that the creation of a blue—and in the future, green—ammonia value chain between Germany and the UAE is not just theoretically possible, but practically feasible.”

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Author: Polly Martin