Powering Asia’s rapid growth and development

The energy transition

The global energy transition anticipates the world's adoption of lower-emission technologies over time. This transition may require new technologies enabled by advanced, durable materials that may use carbon as a molecular building block.

Aramco is continuing to conduct research and development in the following areas:

• Low carbon fuels
• Carbon capture, utilization and storage at a commercially viable scale
• Potential use of hydrogen as a low carbon energy vector
• Crude to chemicals technology
• Reduction of upstream carbon emissions intensity.
• Nature-based solutions.

The mobility transition

The mobility transition refers to the long-term shift towards hybrids and electric vehicles in an effort to reduce the emissions associated with the transportation sector. This is anticipated to entail taking a life cycle approach towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector that considers all options, including lower carbon fuels.

Further improvements in the efficiency of ICE engines, including hybridization, is expected to be crucial to reducing emissions from all modes of transportation.

Low carbon hydrogen could play a major role in helping Asia and the world with reducing GHG emissions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors such as power generation, heavy duty transport, shipping, and aviation. Recently, Aramco has sharpened its focus on research and development related to the new technologies needed to enable a future hydrogen-based economy. The Company is uniquely positioned to leverage its know-how to become a global leader in the emerging market for hydrogen.

The materials transition

Building more sustainable energy and transportation systems is expected to require stronger, lighter materials to manufacture the power plants and vehicles that will help the world reduce its emissions.

Carbon molecules are used to make the carbon fibers and performance materials used in wind turbine blades, solar panels, and energy storage devices. They are also used to make insulating and lightweight products that enhance energy efficiency and help reduce emissions.

Driving the mobility transition: more sustainable energy solutions

Aramco is exploring multiple avenues in the search for more sustainable energy solutions, especially with conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, which make up a significant part of the mobility market.

Research is focused on three key areas:

• Improving the efficiency of engines using gasoline compression ignition technology;
• Capturing carbon emissions on the move;
• Making lighter vehicles with the use of non-mettalic materials rather than steel, reducing both fuel needed and emissions.

Although not yet commercially viable, Aramco partnered with Tsinghua University, Chinese engine maker FAWDE and the Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals Company in a three-year collaboration that built a pioneering heavy truck that achieved 90 percent lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared to a conventional model. This was achieved by improving the fuel, the engine, and the treatment of combustion gases, removing harmful emissions before they leave the exhaust.

In partnership with Tsinghua University, the Company is also developing Catalytic Crude to Chemicals (CC2C) technologies. These advanced techniques enable crude oil to be converted directly into petrochemicals used in manufacturing.

The Company’s experts are also contributing to the China Automobile Low Carbon Action Plan, which aims to help China start cutting national CO2 emissions by 2030.

Contributing to the materials transition: China in focus

The scale, sophistication and openness to innovation of China's manufacturing economy, and the size of its domestic and export markets, dovetails perfectly with Aramco's strengths in oil, gas, refining, and petrochemicals.

The Company has a research center in Beijing that focuses on geology, geophysics, reservoir engineering, refining, chemicals, and sustainable transport. These cover the upstream and downstream of the oil & gas industry.

Aramco is also working on advanced composites for use in construction, wind turbines, solar panels, and non-metallic pipes to replace steel, alloys and concrete used in construction and infrastructure projects.