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LNG is increasingly being integrated into long-term energy strategies.

 Suresh Ramanujan, vice president - Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq & Jordan at Emerson argues that technology and partnership are imperatives for achieving sustainable energy security

Achieving energy security is not necessarily in conflict with ensuring sustainability. Focusing on energy security at the cost of sustainable practices can only lead to short-term gains. Striking a balance is crucial especially in the context of a global transition to a low-carbon future. While renewable energy sources continue to grow in importance and influence, the transition cannot happen overnight. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has emerged as a vital component of this shift — not as a competitor to renewables, but as a complementary, lower-emission fuel that supports reliability where intermittent sources fall short. With up to 50% lower carbon emissions than compared to other fossil fuels, LNG is a viable transition fuel that provides reliable energy for countries where renewables alone cannot meet current demand.

As countries prioritise both energy access and climate action, LNG is increasingly being integrated into long-term energy strategies. National development plans and capital projects around the world are scaling up LNG infrastructure to meet projected demand through 2035 and beyond. Shell's LNG Outlook 2024 predicts that global LNG demand will grow by approximately 50% by 2040, driven by emerging economies like India and Vietnam that are prioritising lower-emission energy sources to fuel their development while meeting climate commitments.

This raises a critical question: how can we scale LNG responsibly while lowering its environmental impact?

Qatar’s experience provides a good example of how to strike this balance. The nation is undertaking a massive North Field Expansion project that will boost its LNG production capacity from 77 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to approximately 126 MTPA by 2027.

What makes this expansion noteworthy is its parallel commitment to sustainability. Qatar is investing substantially in carbon capture technology, with plans to sequester 9 million tons of CO₂ annually by 2030.

Technology as an enabler of sustainable energy

Advances in process optimisation, emissions reduction, and energy efficiency are transforming how LNG facilities operate, significantly improving their environmental performance.

The Qatargas Jetty Boil-Off Gas Recovery Facility exemplifies this approach. By implementing advanced automation technology provided by Emerson’s LNG Solutions Center in Qatar, the facility eliminates flaring at Ras Laffan, recovering 600,000 tons of LNG annually while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.6 million tons per year.

Technology partnerships like this will be beneficial to supporting the energy transition in Qatar, and elsewhere in the world. Through advanced control systems, optimisation software from AspenTech, and precision instrumentation and valve technologies, Emerson enables LNG operators to run safer, more efficient, and more reliable operations. These solutions not only help reduce emissions and optimise energy use but also ensure process consistency across the entire lifecycle of LNG facilities—from design and commissioning to maintenance and digital transformation.

Innovations and expertise gained from such partnerships will enable businesses to achieve sustainability and operational excellence; it will also empower local industries with tools to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.

Developing local expertise to address transition challenges

Technology alone, no matter how sophisticated, cannot drive sustainable transformation without the human expertise to implement and optimise it.

Qatar's National Vision 2030 recognises this reality, emphasising economic progression through innovation, sustainability, and human development. Emerson’s LNG Solutions Center is supporting this vision by providing programmes that will cultivate local expertise needed to facilitate the country’s transition to a carbon-neutral future. This provides immersive training environments where engineers and technicians can develop proficiency with cutting-edge technologies before implementing them in operational facilities. They create spaces for collaboration between operators, technology providers, and academic institutions. And they function as innovation hubs where solutions to industry challenges can be explored, tested, and refined.

Beyond production: the entire value chain

A comprehensive approach to ensuring a balance between energy security and sustainability must consider the entire LNG value chain – from production and processing to transportation and utilisation.

In transportation, for instance, the foremost considerations include solutions for safe transfer of liquefied gas as well as carrier operations. These are essential for maintaining safety and environmental integrity. Accurate containment monitoring and custody technologies can help ensure safe transfer when loading or unloading LNG, while specialised carrier systems support safety, environmental compliance, and reliability for LNG carriers.

At the consumption end, technologies that optimise combustion processes, minimise methane slip, and support fuel switching in power generation and industrial applications help maximise the environmental benefits of choosing natural gas over higher-carbon alternatives.

LNG in a net-zero future

LNG has the potential to remain valuable even in a highly decarbonised energy system. A number of factors support this view. First, the integration of carbon capture and storage technology can dramatically reduce the lifecycle emissions of natural gas. Second, existing LNG infrastructure can be repurposed for transportation and storage of hydrogen energy when this resource becomes more mainstream or as green and blue hydrogen production gains wider adoption. Finally, the reliability and disposability of gas-fired power generation make it an ideal complement to intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

Without a doubt, the path forward will require continued innovation in technology, policy frameworks and regulations, as well as market structures and business models. The balanced approach advocated here considers both the immediate necessity of reliable energy access and the imperative of addressing climate change.

The contract will support ADNOC’s aim to accelerate the development of the UAE’s conventional and tight reservoirs.

ADNOC Drilling has been awarded a five-year contract worth up to US$800mn by ADNOC Onshore for the provision of integrated hydraulic fracturing services for conventional and tight reservoirs

The contract is the fifth awarded to the company in less than two months, reflecting the company’s leadership in high-tech oilfield services, and will support ADNOC’s aim to accelerate the development of the UAE’s conventional and tight reservoirs. It covers the design, execution and evaluation of multistage hydraulic fracturing treatments, which will be deployed across a wide range of assets in Abu Dhabi.

ADNOC Drilling will deploy advanced technologies throughout the project to maximise efficiency and performance. Proprietary fracturing simulation software will be used to optimise every stage of the operation, increasing flow rates and overall hydrocarbon recovery. Intelligent fluid systems will adapt dynamically in real-time to reservoir conditions, improving fracture efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Automated pumping units and blending systems will enhance safety, streamline operations and reduce the need for on-site manpower.

Abdulla Ateya Al Messabi, CEO of ADNOC Drilling said, “This significant contract is a powerful endorsement of ADNOC Drilling’s expanding capabilities and our trusted partnership with ADNOC Onshore. It reflects our ability to deliver high-impact, technologically advanced fracturing services that will help unlock the UAE’s energy potential. As we continue our transformation, we are proud to support the nation’s strategic energy goals and reinforce our position as a leader in integrated drilling and completion solutions.”

ADNOC Drilling reported record financial results for 2024, with net profits rising by 26% year-on-year to US$1.3bn, and revenue growing by 32% to US$4.03bn, reflecting the expansion of its onshore and offshore fleets and the continued growth of the oilfield services (OFS) segment, as well as the expansion of its capabilities through its technology-focused joint ventures.

The project will help reduce emissions in the shipping industry.

Lloyd's Register (LR) has signed an agreement with German developer DAI Infrastruktur GmbH (DAI) to provide advisory services for Project Ra, a large-scale green ammonia production and bunkering development at East Port Said, Egypt

Project Ra is expected to have a production capacity of up to two million tonnes of green ammonia annually (mtpa), with 1.65mn tonnes produced from renewable energy sources, with production scheduled to start in 2029. Located strategically next to the Suez Canal, it offers a critical bunkering hub for ammonia-fuelled vessels navigating one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. It is expected to play a key role in supplying key European ports with green ammonia, for use as bunkering fuel, electricity generation, and reducing CO₂ emissions in industrial processes such as steel production.

The development aligns with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO)  regulations which will require the use of low- and zero-carbon fuels from 2030 onwards.

LR’s advisory services will cover demand-side pricing analyses, infrastructure planning, asset integrity and risk assessments, regulatory guidance, lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis, and market and offtake strategy support. LR will also undertake concept design reviews, feasibility studies and performance benchmarking aligned to ISO 55000.

Panos Mitrou, Global Gas Segment director, Lloyd's Register, said, “Our partnership with DAI demonstrates LR's commitment to supporting the development of critical alternative fuel supply chains that will enable shipowners to navigate the post-MEPC 83 regulatory landscape successfully.

Ioannis Papassavvas, CEO of DAI Infrastruktur, added, “Project Ra represents a critical step in delivering green ammonia at the scale and reliability the maritime sector urgently needs. LR’s advisory support will be vital to ensure Project Ra meets the highest international standards, while aligning with the long-term needs of shipowners and global regulators.”

Fossil fuels continue to dominant the global energy system.

Fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy system, with fast-growing renewables adding to the overall energy mix rather than replacing them, according to the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy, produced in collaboration with KPMG and Kearney

Wind and solar combined grew by over 18% in 2024, making them the fastest-growing areas of the energy system, with China responsible for 56% of new wind and solar additions. But global energy demand is rising even faster, with total fossil fuel use growing by just over 1% and oil remaining the largest source of energy, accounting for 34% of total global demand.

Crude oil demand remained flat in OECD countries, but rose 1% in non-OECD countries, with Africa and the Middle East the fastest-growing regions in terms of oil demand. The USA is the world’s largest oil producer, accounting for 20% of global production in 2024.

Global natural gas demand rose by 2.5% as gas markets rebalanced after the 2023 slump. Global natural gas production rose to 4,124 bcm with the largest producers being the US, Russia, Iran, and China, which has risen from being the world’s sixth largest gas producer to its fourth over the last 10 years.

This simultaneous growth in clean and conventional energy illustrates the structural, economic, and geopolitical barriers to achieving a truly coordinated global energy transition, the Energy Institute comments, noting the 1% rise in energy emissions to record levels.

Total energy supply rose by 2% to reach a new high of 592 EJ, with records reached across all forms of energy. At 4%, electricity demand growth continued to outpace total energy demand growth, an indicator that the age of electricity is not just emerging but is shaping a new global energy system.

Energy Institute president Andy Brown OBE FEI said, “This year’s data reflects a complex picture of the global energy transition. Electrification is accelerating, particularly across developing economies where access to modern energy is expanding rapidly. However, the pace of renewable deployment continues to be outstripped by overall demand growth, 60% of which was met by fossil fuels. The result is a fourth consecutive year of record emissions, highlighting the structural challenges in aligning global energy consumption with climate goals.”

Dr Nick Wayth CEng FEI, CEO of the Energy Institute highlighted China’s influence over global energy trends, as it expands renewable capacity alongside coal, gas and oil. “The scale and direction of China’s energy choices will be pivotal in determining whether the world can deliver a secure, affordable, and low-carbon energy future."

Dr Romain Debarre, partner and managing director Energy Transition Institute, Kearney stated: “Energy security, resource access, and technological sovereignty are now taking priority over climate goals. This year’s data reveals three trends that are shaping the energy landscape: energy use is rising, but patterns are shifting; electrification is rapidly accelerating; and the energy transition remains chaotic.

“We are witnessing the dangers of a disorderly transition and the cost of inaction in real time. We have the strategies, technologies, and know-how to deliver net zero with an integrated, secure, and people-centred approach. Now, we must move from promises to action, at scale and at speed.”

Wafa Jafri, lead of Energy and Natural Resources Strategy and Partner KPMG in the UK observed Europe’s slowing progress on renewables and growth in China and emerging markets. “What’s emerging is not a uniform transition, but a disorderly one.

“Leaders navigating this need to look beyond headlines and towards practical delivery, regional opportunity, and strategies built for resilience as all facets of the energy trilemma: affordability, security of supply and decarbonisation, compete for priority.”

OEG and Al Nasr strengthen Qatar links. (Image source: OEG)

Global energy solutions firm OEG has finalised an evergreen agreement with Al Nasr Holding Co. in Qatar to deepen its involvement in the nation’s oil and gas sector

Earlier this year, OEG joined forces with Venture Gulf Engineering (VGE) — a leading specialist in container manufacturing, testing and certification, and a subsidiary of Al Nasr Holding Co. — to support Qatar’s energy sector with ISO cryogenic tanks for the safe transportation of nitrogen (N₂), enhancing logistics capabilities in the region.

The latest agreement further reinforces the strategic partnership with VGE and enhances existing support for the oil and gas, petrochemical and industrial sectors in Qatar.

The alliance, which has grown from an initial fleet of 40 cargo carrying units to more than 3,000 assets strategically positioned throughout the region, demonstrates the robustness of the OEG and VGE partnership and the high level of trust driving its success, an OEG statement read.

“This agreement formalises the relationship between OEG and VGE in Qatar, as the country advances its oil and natural gas production capabilities, and will enable us to provide top-tier logistics equipment solutions that can meet the demands of the energy and industrial sectors,” said Chris Kleinhans, regional director for OEG’s logistics equipment division in the Middle East.

Kleinhans said that the new agreement with Al Nasr Holding Co. establishes a framework for driving the future growth of both OEG and VGE, that will positively impact the local economy and ensure seamless access to services for customers.

“Our shared strategic focus, to develop a sustainable business model in the region, is crucial to the long-term growth of the partnership.

“Our combined resources and expertise help us to meet the immediate needs of our customers and adapt to future challenges and opportunities, with a continued emphasis on innovation that is improving value and efficiency.”

Read more:

Shell forecasts 60% rise in LNG demand by 2040

Enermech secures Qatar contract extension

QatarEnergy launches enhanced ICV programme

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