Deadline Extension for Oman's Initial Green Hydrogen Auction Submissions

Oman's green hydrogen auction, a significant step towards the country's transition towards a hydrogen economy, is moving forward with new developments. The initiative, led by Hydrom, the state agency coordinating green hydrogen and ammonia projects, has been active since 2022, selecting several international consortia and granting them framework agreements for land usage and production.

As of December 2023, no explicit winner has been announced for the two preferred blocks in Duqm Special Economic Zone (SEZAD) in the first round of the green hydrogen auction, initially scheduled for April 2023. However, the development is dynamic, and official announcements are typically made through Hydrom or the Oman News Agency (ONA).

Current Status

Hydrom (Hydrogen Omani) is the state agency responsible for coordinating green hydrogen consortia in Oman, including Duqm, multiple harbour sites, and solar/wind zones.
Current Situation: Hydrom has selected several international consortia since 2022, granting them framework agreements for land usage and production, including companies like Actis, BP, ACME, Shell, OQ, EDF, InterContinental Energy, and more.
Duqm: It is anticipated that the Duqm SEZAD will become one of the key clusters for green hydrogen in Oman, particularly for exports to Europe and Asia.
Publications: While several projects and the selection of consortia were partially announced in April 2023, no explicit naming of the two preferred blocks in Duqm was made in official press releases or publicly accessible sources up to December 2023.
Future Developments: Hydrom and the Omani government continue to focus on international partnerships and investments in the sector, with ambitious decarbonisation goals.

Conclusion

Based on publicly accessible information up to December 2023, no concrete, officially announced winner can be named for the two preferred blocks in Duqm in the context of green hydrogen auctions. The development is ongoing, and official announcements are usually made through Hydrom or the Oman News Agency (ONA).

Recommendation:

For the latest developments (from January 2024), it is recommended to conduct direct research at Hydrom (www.hydrom.om) or to inquire with relevant industry service providers/news portals, as Oman is pushing for a rapid expansion of its green hydrogen infrastructure and regularly publishes new pre-records and MOU announcements.

Moreover, it has been announced that the second round of the green hydrogen auction in Oman will offer two to four additional blocks in Dhofar. The deadline for bid submission for this round is expected to be by the end of 2023. The award for the two concessional blocks in Duqm for the green hydrogen auction is expected in April 2023, and the full green hydrogen value chain in the projects includes renewable production, hydrogen production, hydrogen derivatives conversion, and secure offtake. The new bid submission deadline for Phase A Round 1 is 15 March 2023. The green hydrogen auction in Oman continues to attract international attention and investment in the renewable energy sector.