Demonstrating its commitment to a lower-carbon future, Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, has partnered with three US companies to accelerate the development of innovative clean energy solutions.

The preliminary agreements, signed during a visit by US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to Riyadh, aim to accelerate the development of technologies that could significantly reduce Aramco’s carbon footprint.

The partnerships focus on diverse areas. 

Ohio-based Aeroseal will explore deploying its air-sealing technology to improve efficiency in Aramco’s operations. Spiritus, from New Mexico, tackles cost challenges associated with direct air capture, a method for removing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere. Finally, California’s Rondo Energy will collaborate on implementing heat batteries across Aramco’s global facilities.

Ali Al Meshari, Aramco’s senior vice president of technology, underscored the importance of these partnerships:  “We see the technologies of Aeroseal, Spiritus, and Rondo to have the potential to scale globally, and specifically in the Middle East.”

He further emphasized Aramco’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 across its wholly-owned operated assets. This aligns with Saudi Arabia’s national goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Despite the push for clean energy, Aramco acknowledges the continued role of fossil fuels in the near future. Earlier, CEO Amin Nasser noted that oil and gas “will remain a part of the energy mix for decades to come.”

Aramco advocates for a “circular carbon economy” as the key to minimizing emissions while ensuring economic growth. This approach focuses on initiatives like fuel efficiency improvements, water conservation, and developing next-generation green materials.