Gulf producers take aim at green LNG market

Oman sells first carbon-neutral cargo while Qatar sets sights on major expansion of low-carbon supply from North Field East

In early June, state-led Oman LNG trumpeted an agreement with minority shareholder Shell to deliver the Middle East’s first carbon-neutral LNG cargo from its three-train liquefaction plant on the sultanate’s north-east coast to an undisclosed buyer. The cargo’s “full lifecycle” CO2 emissions from upstream extraction to end-use will be offset using “nature-based carbon credits”. The deal marks the latest move by the fledgling international green LNG sector toward the mainstream. Fewer than 20 cargoes—of either carbon-neutral or reduced-carbon LNG—have changed hands, almost exclusively to Asian customers, with emerging leader Shell only delivering its first such shipment to Europe in April.