Assessing the transition of an oil refinery to 100% sustainable energy sources, Oman

The challenge

A major international oil company operating a refinery in Oman commissioned an independent study to assess whether the facility could be converted from fossil fuel operation to running entirely on sustainable energy sources. The question was not whether decarbonization was desirable as regulatory pressure, carbon pricing, and investor expectations were already making that case. The question was which technical pathway was viable for a facility of this type, and what the conversion would cost and require.

The approach

Aalborg CSP conducted a study assessing and modelling several different conversion pathways, evaluating the technical feasibility and economics of transitioning the refinery's energy supply from fossil fuel combustion to sustainable alternatives. Multiple scenarios were developed and compared, covering different technology combinations and transition routes.

Why it matters

Oil refineries are among the most energy-intensive industrial facilities in the world, with high and continuous process heat and steam demand across a wide temperature range. Decarbonizing that energy supply without disrupting refinery operations is one of the most complex industrial engineering challenges in the energy transition. Independent feasibility studies of this type are the starting point for every serious conversion project.

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