Levidian is a British climate technology firm and the company has recently been able to successfully install their patented LOOP technology in an excellent location. This location is in Abu Dhabi, specifically, ADNOC Gas’ Habshan Gas Processing Plant.

The installation was completed through a partnership with Baker Hughes, an energy technology company and it is incredibly significant, because the installation is a world-first deployment of the technology at an operational gas site. Throughout the project, there will be carbon captured from natural gas and transformed into high-quality graphene. This graphene will be first evaluated and then utilised by ADNOC’s Technology team, as it will allow them to explore possible applications. It has been made clear that the unit will be able to create more than a ton of graphene and clean hydrogen on an annual basis.

The five plants located at the Habshan complex are part of one of the world’s largest gas processing plants and they are able to process an estimated six billion standard cubic feet of gas every day. This includes supplying gas to utilities, as well as industrial customers based throughout the UAE. These customers include water desalination, steel, aluminium and finally, cement manufacturers.

A first-of-its-kind demonstration will be taking place soon and during this demonstration it will be producing two high value commodities, both of which have a large role to play within the energy transition. Hydrogen is a crucial future fuel, whilst graphene is a powerful additive to products such as solar panels and batteries for electric vehicles, as well as energy storage facilities which will also work to store excess power that is produced by renewables. Graphene is also incredibly useful when it comes to things such as tyres, concrete and polymer pipes, as graphene is a material which is capable of reducing leakage, whilst simultaneously extending the life of assets.

Once the pilot has commenced, the data collected will be used to refine the ongoing development of AI modelling and digital twins to both minimise energy consumption and maximise graphene output. This information will be put forward and use to adjust future installations which become part of Levidian’s growing fleet of LOOP units. Furthermore, AI will also play a role in supporting the quality control of the graphene, whilst also accelerating potential applications, reducing waste, improving efficiency and finally, enhancing the overall and final decarbonisation impact.

CEO of Levidian, John Hartley, commented, “The completion of commissioning at Habshan is a major milestone for the project and an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the application of our technology within one of the harshest, most operationally challenging environments anywhere in the world. We’re seeing huge appetite within the market for our graphene and are excited to be working with ADNOC to unlock a new source of this super-material, which will help establish Levidian as one of the world’s largest producers of graphene that is less carbon intensive, more affordable and of a consistently higher quality than anything available on the market today." 

Chief Operations Officer of ADNOC Gas Mohamed Al Hashemi, added, "The deployment of LOOP technology is a significant milestone for ADNOC Gas. By transforming methane into valuable graphene and clean hydrogen, we are unlocking new value from natural gas, driving decarbonization and supporting the UAE’s industrial growth and climate ambitions. This project reflects our dedication to shaping a more sustainable energy future while delivering tangible benefits for the industries we serve.”

Senior Vice President Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes, Alessandro Bresciani, mentioned, “Bringing innovation from startups and research labs into the reality of complex industrial sites requires technical skills and the highest level of collaboration and focus on health, safety and environment. We are delighted to have brought Levidian's technology into ADNOC Gas’ Habshan plant, as part of our company’s long-term focus in bringing to market and scaling up innovative solutions for our customers."