Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas join Masdar and INPEX in a feasibility study to produce e-methane in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar (Masdar), INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX), Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Gas) and Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (Osaka Gas) announced they have signed a collaboration agreement to conduct a joint feasibility study on e-methane production in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Masdar and INPEX have been conducting a joint study to produce e-methane utilizing low-cost renewable energy in Abu Dhabi based on an agreement signed on July 17, 2023. Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas have newly joined this initiative, and through it plan to off- take e-methane in volumes equivalent to 1% of each company’s annual city gas demand. Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas are aiming to introduce e-methane to cover 1% of their respective annual city gas demand by 2030 and further increase the introduction volume from the total of their worldwide projects toward 2050.
The four partners will evaluate the economics of producing and procuring feedstocks, such as green hydrogen and CO2, as well as the production and transportation of e- methane. The overall reductions in CO2 emissions will also be evaluated. “e-methane” is compatible with existing LNG infrastructure such as LNG tankers and terminals as well as city gas infrastructure including pipelines and consumer gas equipment, limiting social costs associated with its introduction. “e-methane” is therefore considered a pragmatic carbon-neutral or lower-carbon solution for thermal sectors where electrification is a challenge. Applications are also expected in the power generation and transportation sectors.
Masdar, INPEX, Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas aim for the early establishment of an e- methane supply chain from the UAE to Japan to contribute to the UAE and Japanese governments’ shared goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is the UAE’s clean energy champion and one of the largest companies of its kind in the world, advancing the development and deployment of renewable energy and green hydrogen technologies to address global sustainability challenges. Masdar is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), and under this ownership the company is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and an annual green hydrogen production capacity of up to 1 million tonnes by the same year.
INPEX CORPORATION is Japan’s largest exploration and production (E&P) company and is currently involved in projects across multiple continents, including the Ichthys LNG Project in Australia as Operator. By thoroughly making its oil and gas business cleaner while expanding its 5 net zero business areas, INPEX aims to provide a stable supply of diverse and clean energy sources including oil, natural gas, hydrogen, and renewables as a pioneer in energy transformation.
Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. is the largest city gas supplier in Japan and a Japanese integrated energy company with diverse businesses spanning electricity generation, energy retailing, engineering solutions, upstream LNG, and real estate development. As part of our group’s management vision “Compass 2030,” we have been taking action to realize a decarbonized society by tackling the challenge of achieving “Net-Zero CO2.”
Osaka Gas aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its corporate group (Daigas Group) by 2050 as a goal set in the Carbon Neutral Vision released in January 2021 and Energy Transition 2030 released in March 2023. To realize this ambition, the company pursues net zero solutions, including e-methane, synthetic methane suitable for seamless and low-cost transition due to its compatibility with the existing gas infrastructure and equipment. While proceeding with R&D on e-methane technologies, Osaka Gas drives several e-methane projects, conducting feasibility studies to produce e-methane in strategic locations, such as North America, South America, Australia, the Middle East, the Southeast Asia, and Japan.
