沙特阿拉伯达兰，2020年9月27日–-在日本经济产业省的支持下，沙特阿美与日本能源经济研究所（IEEJ）、沙特基础工业公司合作，在沙特阿拉伯成功地为日本市场生产蓝氨、并将蓝氨运往日本。截至目前，沙特阿美已经向日本运送了40吨高级蓝氨用于零碳发电。
当前，人们越来越认识到氢在全球能源系统中的作用。氨是由三份氢和一份氮组成的化合物，能够以可靠、可负担和可持续的方式，满足世界日益增长的能源需求。
沙特-日本蓝氨供应网络示范涉及整个价值链（信息图表链接：https://china.aramco.com/-/media/news/2020/sep/blue-ammonia-supplu-chain-flow-diagram-web.pdf?la=zh-cn&hash=FC287134FC57C760688467A2E507ED0CC322F518），其中包括将碳氢化合物转化为氢、进而转化为氨，以及捕集相关的二氧化碳排放。
该项目克服了多项技术挑战，并且实现了二氧化碳的捕集和利用：在沙特基础工业公司的伊本·西那工厂的甲醇生产装置，共捕集30吨二氧化碳，连同另外20吨被捕获的二氧化碳，一并被用于沙特阿美乌斯马尼亚油田的提高原油采收率项目。
这一里程碑凸显了全球循环碳经济概念中的几种途径之一。全球循环碳经济的框架倡导减少、去除二氧化碳排放，并实现二氧化碳的回收和再利用。
沙特阿美首席技术官艾哈迈德·霍怀特（Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter）表示：“预计全球能源系统中，氢的使用量将会增长，而这次全球首例示范展示了碳氢化合物做为低碳氢和氨的来源、成为可靠廉价能源的潜力，这一示范为沙特阿美提供了振奋人心的机会。这个里程碑也凸显了沙特阿拉伯和日本之间成功的跨国、跨行业合作伙伴关系。跨国合作是沙特阿拉伯作为20国峰会轮值主席国所倡导的循环碳经济理念实现之关键。沙特阿美将继续与世界各地的合作伙伴一道，通过部署突破性技术来寻找解决方案，从而生产低碳能源以应对全球气候挑战。”
日本能源经济研究所董事长兼首席执行官丰田章男（Toyoda Masakazu）说：“蓝氨对于日本零碳排放目标的实现至关重要，而零碳排放可以维持环境与经济之间的平衡。在日本，约有10％的电力需求可以通过3,000万吨的蓝氨发电供给。我们可以先在现有电站中混烧蓝氨，最后过渡到100％燃烧蓝氨。有些国家（例如日本）由于其地质条件，而不适合部署碳捕集与封存（CCS）或驱油（EOR）项目。碳中性的蓝氨/氢将有助于克服这一问题。”
沙特基础工业公司的能源效率和碳管理副总裁法赫德·夏雷（Fahad Al-Sherehy）博士说：“在沙特基础工业公司，我们可以很经济地利用现有装置，进行氢气和氨气的生产，并且捕集二氧化碳。我们在完整供应链中的经验，加上我们一体化的石化装置，将在向世界提供蓝氨方面发挥重要作用。”
以重量计，氨的氢含量约为18％，氨在世界上已经是一种广泛交易的化学品。火力发电厂燃烧氨时，其二氧化碳排放量为零；因此氨有可能为廉价、可靠的低碳能源未来做出重大贡献。沙特基础工业公司和参与该项目的IEEJ研究团队中的三菱公司与日挥株式会社、三菱重工业工程株式会社、三菱造船株式会社和宇部兴产株式会社合作，共同对运输物流进行监管。
World's first blue ammonia shipment opens new route to a sustainable future
A significant step towards a sustainable hydrogen usage and a circular carbon economy
40 tons of high-grade blue ammonia already dispatched for use in zero-carbon power generation, a successful demonstration of the supply network from Saudi Arabia to Japan
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; September 27, 2020--Aramco and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), in partnership with SABIC, have successfully demonstrated the production and shipment of blue ammonia from Saudi Arabia to Japan with support from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Forty tons of high-grade blue ammonia have already been dispatched to Japan for use in zero-carbon power generation.
The announcement comes amid growing appreciation of the role hydrogen will play in the global energy system. Ammonia, a compound consisting of three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen, can contribute to addressing the challenge of meeting the world’s growing energy needs in a reliable, affordable and sustainable manner.
The Saudi-Japan blue ammonia supply network demonstration spanned the full value chain (diagram link: https://china.aramco.com/-/media/news/2020/sep/blue-ammonia-supplu-chain-flow-diagram-web.pdf?la=zh-cn&hash=FC287134FC57C760688467A2E507ED0CC322F518); including the conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen and then to ammonia, as well as the capture of associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
It overcame challenges associated with the shipping of blue ammonia to Japan for use in power plants, with 30 tons of CO2 captured during the process designated for use in methanol production at SABIC’s Ibn-Sina facility and another 20 tons of captured CO2 being used for Enhanced Oil Recovery at Aramco’s Uthmaniyah field.
This milestone highlights one of several pathways within the concept of a global Circular Carbon Economy, a framework in which CO2 emissions are reduced, removed, recycled and reused - as opposed to being released into the atmosphere.
Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “The use of hydrogen is expected to grow in the global energy system, and this world’s first demonstration represents an exciting opportunity for Aramco to showcase the potential of hydrocarbons as a reliable and affordable source of low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia. This milestone also highlights a successful transnational, multi-industry partnership between Saudi Arabia and Japan. Multinational partnerships are key in realizing the Circular Carbon Economy, championed by the Saudi Arabian G20 Presidency. Aramco continues to work with various partners around the world, finding solutions through the deployment of breakthrough technologies to produce low-carbon energy and address the global climate challenge.”
Toyoda Masakazu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IEEJ, said: “Blue ammonia is critical to Japan’s zero carbon emission ambitions to sustain the balance between the environment and the economy. About 10% of power in Japan can be generated by 30 million tons of blue ammonia. We can start with co-firing blue ammonia in existing power stations, eventually transitioning to single firing with 100% blue ammonia. There are nations such as Japan which cannot necessarily utilize Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) or EOR due to their geological conditions. The carbon neutral blue ammonia/hydrogen will help overcome this regional disadvantage.”
Dr. Fahad Al-Sherehy, Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management at SABIC, said: “At SABIC, we can economically leverage our existing infrastructure for hydrogen and ammonia production with CO2 capture. Our experience in the full supply chain along with integrated petrochemicals facilities will play an important role in providing blue ammonia to the world.”
Ammonia contains approximately 18% hydrogen by weight and is already a widely traded chemical on the world stage. It releases zero CO2 emissions when combusted in a thermal power plant and has the potential to make a significant contribution to an affordable and reliable low-carbon energy future. SABIC and Mitsubishi Corporation, which is represented on the IEEJ study team involved in the project, are overseeing the transport logistics in partnership with JGC Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd., Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and UBE Industries, Ltd.
如需了解更多信息，欢迎点击“阅读原文”访问我们的官方网站。