Arab Countries Forge Hydrogen Alliance at OAPEC Seminar in Egypt
The First Undersecretary and Supervisor for Health, Occupational Safety and Environment (HSE), Energy Efficiency, and Climate Affairs at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Alaa El Batal, has inaugurated the third seminar of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPAEC) at ENPPI headquarters in Cairo, discussing current and future developments in the hydrogen field and its contribution to building a low-carbon future.
During his opening speech, El Batal welcomed Jamal Al Loughani, Secretary General of the OPAEC, praising the organization’s continuous efforts to enhance cooperation and integration among Arab countries in the fields of petroleum and energy, especially amid the dynamic transformations in the global energy landscape. El Batal further welcomed the senior officials and delegations participating in the seminar from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, and Mauritania, emphasizing the interest of the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, in the seminar’s topic and his aspirations for fruitful and constructive outcomes that support Arab joint efforts in this vital sector.
In this context, El Batal referred to Egypt’s national low-carbon hydrogen strategy, announced in 2024 by the Cabinet, along with the country’s vision to leverage its geographic location as an energy hub to transform into a regional and global hub for green hydrogen production and its derivatives. El Batal highlighted the fundamental advantages of the Arab region, including abundant renewable energy resources, growing industrial bases, and expanding infrastructure, qualifying the region to be at the forefront of low-carbon hydrogen producers and exporters.
Moreover, El Batal referred to Egypt’s National Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy, announced last year by the Cabinet, along with the country’s vision to leverage its geographic location as an energy hub to transform into a regional and global hub for green hydrogen production and its derivatives. El Batal further mentioned the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in implementing this strategy, including advancing projects for producing green hydrogen and its derivatives. He noted the current implementation of a pioneering project in cooperation between the ministry’s affiliated companies and Norway’s Scatec to produce 150,000 tons of green ammonia, with investments exceeding $900 million.
Additionally, El Batal referred to Egypt’s accomplishments in this field, most notably the export of the world’s first shipment of green ammonia in 2023 through Misr Green Hydrogen Company, the first-of-its-kind facility in Egypt for green fuel production. El Batal referred to the success of the first container ship refueling operation with green methanol in Africa and the Middle East, conducted at East Port Said in the same year.
For his part, Al Loughani highlighted that low-carbon hydrogen is considered the international choice in order to enhance sustainability, given its usage to remove carbon from most heavy industries, such as steel manufacturing, as well as reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector, in addition to providing an energy source for export from Arab countries to boost the national economy.
Al Loughani stressed in his speech the organization’s commitment, within its new strategies supported by member countries, to focus on hydrogen and prepare specialized reports and studies as a resource for Arab and international bodies and institutions. Furthermore, Al Loughani asserted the need to launch initiatives with international stakeholders to identify the challenges facing the emerging hydrogen sector, how to overcome them, and the opportunities it may provide for Arab countries to benefit from.
Al Loughani emphasized the importance of the seminar as an effective platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas among experts as well as reviewing relevant national experiences and plans. He expressed hope that it would contribute to shaping shared visions supporting OAPEC’s vision and initiative to enhance cooperation in the field of hydrogen and achieve sustainable development.
The seminar addressed the current hydrogen market landscape, the integration of hydrogen with renewable energy sources, and the role of technologies in supporting the low-carbon hydrogen sector. It was attended by a group of experts representing petroleum companies from Arab countries, as well as the director of the European organization Ready 4H2, which is tasked with setting standards and supporting the implementation of hydrogen distribution networks in Europe.
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Arab Countries Forge Hydrogen Alliance at OAPEC Seminar in Egypt, source
