DNV announced that the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has been awarded a CO2 storage certificate at the site endorsement stage for its West Aquifer CO2 storage development, marking a milestone for the UAE and the wider region in advancing large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS).
West Aquifer is a dedicated CO₂ storage site located in Ruwais, in the western part of Abu Dhabi.
The certification, conducted in accordance with ISO 27914, the international standard for carbon dioxide geological storage, recognizes that ADNOC has demonstrated the necessary subsurface characterization, reservoir understanding, containment assessment, and risk management framework required to progress the project to its next phase.
DNV’s verification process assessed ADNOC’s geological modeling, monitoring plans, conformance demonstration approach, and long-term storage strategy for the West Aquifer. Achieving endorsement at this stage provides confidence in the site’s suitability for safe and permanent CO2 storage and supports ADNOC’s broader decarbonization strategy.
“This certification is a pivotal step for ADNOC and an important moment for CCS deployment across the region,” said Brice Le Gallo, vice president and regional director at DNV. “The West Aquifer site has the potential to become one of the anchors for large-scale CCS deployment in the Middle East, helping industries to decarbonize in a safe, credible, and internationally recognized way.”
DNV’s recently published Oil & Gas Decarbonization in the Gulf report highlights that CCS is central to decarbonizing industry and oil and gas and enabling low-carbon blue hydrogen in the gulf region. Certification to international standards such as ISO 27914 is designed to assure stakeholders that CO2 storage sites have undergone a rigorous, evidence-based review, while helping developers manage early-stage risks and avoid costly design flaws.