• Skip to main content

    Nitrogen+Syngas 399 Jan-Feb 2026

    26 January 2026

    Consortium formed to look at low carbon methanol project

    OMAN

    Consortium formed to look at low carbon methanol project

    Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium comprising HIF EMEA GmbH, Acciona Nordex Green Hydrogen and Al Meera Investments to jointly explore the development of a low carbon methanol supply and bunkering hub at Dhofar in Oman. This strategic collaboration aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040 strategy, supporting national decarbonisation targets and positioning Oman as a pre-eminent green maritime and bunkering hub in the Middle East.

    Under the MoU, the parties will jointly assess the technical, regulatory, and commercial framework required to establish a large-scale green methanol facility leveraging Oman’s abundant renewable energy resources and strategic coastal infrastructure. Studies will cover bunkering and the export of green methanol produced in Dhofar region, based on the integration of wind and solar energy for green hydrogen production, CO2 capture and supply from industrial or biogenic sources, and downstream conversion to methanol. The Ministry will facilitate engagement with Omani authorities and stakeholders to enable regulatory frameworks, land allocation, and exploring incentives for the project.

    Latest in Industrial

    Price Trends

    The global sulphur market has entered a holding pattern, as a wave of bearish sentiment has so far failed to move stubbornly high spot prices. The departure of a significant volume of product from the Middle East has emboldened buyers and shifted market sentiment firmly towards bearish, but at time of writing this has so far failed to translate into lower prices. With sellers in no hurry to lower prices and spot availability still tight, the market has stalled as both sides wait for the other to blink first.

    Restart for Hongda smelter

    Hongda's 100,000 t/a zinc smelter, in China's Sichuan Province, completed scheduled maintenance and equipment upgrading and officially resumed production on 21st June, the company said. The smelter had been shut down for planned maintenance since January, during which time a modernisation project for the electrolytic zinc smelting system was also carried out. Following the nearly six-month revamp, the resumption of production is expected to improve overall operational efficiency, reduce unit production costs, and increase the utilisation rate, The company said. The stable supply of sulphuric acid generated by the zinc smelter will effectively leverage the synergies of the "sulphur-phosphorus" industrial chain in the company, an help alleviate cost pressures on the company's phosphorus chemical business segment.