MUSCAT, NOV 30
The recent discovery of naturally occurring hydrogen — also known as native or white hydrogen — in the Wilayat of Suhar has strengthened expectations around its potential development and use in advancing the decarbonisation goals of SOHAR Port and Freezone, according to a senior official of the maritime hub.
Emile Hoogsteden, CEO of SOHAR, highlighted the port’s ongoing collaboration with Swiss natural hydrogen specialist HYNAT SA in exploring subsurface hydrogen in the region. Natural or white hydrogen is geologically generated and found naturally in the Earth’s crust, offering the prospect of direct production from underground reservoirs as a clean, low-carbon energy source.
“Reserves in the area are confirmed and the next stage is extraction testing to assess feasibility and energy potential” Hoogsteden said. “If viable, it would provide a direct, low-carbon fuel source for Sohar’s industries”, he added in an interview with The Energy Year, a UK-based business intelligence platform.
In July, SOHAR signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HYNAT SA to advance the development of a full natural hydrogen value chain in Oman. The collaboration focuses on identifying and assessing natural hydrogen production zones, developing logistics corridors and creating dedicated storage and processing infrastructure. Earlier in February, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals had also signed an MoU granting HYNAT rights to carry out feasibility studies.
This interest in white hydrogen does not diminish SOHAR’s commitment to green hydrogen. “We are also looking to develop green hydrogen in SOHAR and further strengthen SOHAR’s position as a green manufacturing hub”, Hoogsteden noted.
According to Dr Abdullah al Abri, Vice President — Sustainability, SOHAR already hosts strong hydrogen demand from its refinery, petrochemical and DRI-based steel industries, positioning the port as a natural national hub for green hydrogen production. He said the strategy is to begin with small pilot projects to build experience and confidence, including an investment case now being finalised to install 80–100 MW of grid-connected electrolysers that can supply continuous hydrogen to port industries and avoid the intermittency associated with standalone renewables.
Speaking on The Energy Talks platform, Dr Al Abri explained that this approach de-risks investment, noting that renewables are capital-intensive and often require storage. Connecting electrolysers to a grid that is already about 11% renewable — and expected to reach 30% by 2030 — provides flexibility, enables the use of renewable energy certificates and ensures reliable, uninterrupted hydrogen supply to end users.
He added that SOHAR has also established a partnership with a Swiss consortium to explore a green corridor between Oman and Switzerland, with both countries sharing carbon-neutrality goals and building on a 2023 intergovernmental framework agreement to develop an implementation road map and associated projects.
According to Dr Al Abri, hydrogen is a strategic commodity for SOHAR. The port already supports a range of industries and LNG bunkering, with methanation identified as the next step. As biofuel industries develop, their biogenic CO₂ streams can be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other green fuels — a pathway closely aligned with SOHAR’s long-term decarbonisation agenda, in which hydrogen remains a central pillar.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
