Oman is moving steadily toward integrating green hydrogen into the industrial ecosystem of the Special Economic Zone at Al Duqm (SEZAD), even as natural gas continues to serve as a crucial transitional energy source. According to Shaikh Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), the pathway from gas to green hydrogen aligns directly with Oman Vision 2040 and the country’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions.

Last week, the Integrated Gas Company (IGC), Oman’s sole aggregator and supplier of natural gas, allocated 18.614 million standard cubic metres per day (MMscmd) of gas for industrial users in Al Duqm. This supply is significantly higher than commitments to Suhar (4.747 MMscmd), Sur (4.330 MMscmd) and Salalah (0.525 MMscmd), underscoring Duqm’s growing status as Oman’s leading hub for heavy industry and advanced manufacturing.

Dr Al Sunaidy highlighted that Al Duqm is capable of receiving 25 million cubic metres of gas per day, part of which has already been earmarked for industries that plan to transition to green energy. One example is the green steel project, which will begin operations using natural gas before shifting to green hydrogen or its derivatives as the project matures.

Al Duqm gears up for large-scale green hydrogen adoption

The chairman added that even the refinery at Duqm is working to reduce its dependence on natural gas, with plans to use green hydrogen to power furnaces and support operations. Warehousing and mobility solutions within the zone are also expected to draw increasing levels of electricity generated from solar and wind.

“So yes, we are allowing a transition period for industries until power from green energy becomes more competitive — which it already is,” Dr Al Sunaidy stated. He noted that India’s Acme Group is currently constructing a major green hydrogen facility in Duqm, backed by contractual agreements to export green ammonia to Europe by 2027.

The green steel project is also progressing, designed from the outset to shift to green hydrogen at the appropriate stage. Dr Al Sunaidy explained that all new industrial entrants to Duqm are required to incorporate green energy transition plans from the design phase onwards.

Source: 

https://fuelcellsworks.com/2025/11/19/green-hydrogen/oman-gas-bridges-al-duqm-s-shift-to-green-hydrogen