UK-based Carbon Clean is expanding its modular CycloneCC carbon capture system in the Middle East, targeting heavy industries with faster deployment times and lower costs, supported by major oil companies and innovative offshore applications.
UK-based Carbon Clean is stepping up its efforts in the Middle East to expand the use of its modular carbon capture technology, CycloneCC, especially targeting some of the region’s tough industrial sectors. The company, which recently wrapped up a pilot project with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and is currently testing the system with Saudi Aramco, is working closely with various players in oil and gas, steel, cement, and other energy-heavy industries. The goal? To weave its solution into their wider decarbonisation plans.
Prateek Bumb, Carbon Clean’s CTO and co-founder since 2009, mentioned during an interview at ADIPEC 2025 that large-scale carbon capture projects often face hurdles like runaway costs and logistical issues, mostly because of their size and the space they require. CycloneCC tries to address these problems with a modular and scalable design, making CO₂ capture cheaper and quicker to set up. This approach, as Bumb explained, fits well with industrial clusters that share transport and storage infrastructure, which is pretty handy in these contexts.
The core of CycloneCC is based on rotating packed bed tech combined with Carbon Clean’s own Amine-Promoted Buffer Salt (APBS) solvent chemistry. This chemistry has been used globally at nearly 50 sites over the last decade, capturing about 2.8 million tonnes of CO₂. Interestingly enough, the system’s chemistry has lowered operating costs by around 30 to 35 percent compared to traditional plants. Yet, the company did note that physical space limitations at client sites still pose a major challenge. The compact modules of CycloneCC are designed to fit into tight spaces, and the prefabricated units can be deployed in roughly six to eight months, certainly much faster than the typical three to four years conventional projects usually take.
“Reducing deployment times and cutting capital costs by 20 to 25 percent is a big step forward for us,” Bumb said. He also added the company’s goal to cut overall costs in half within the next three years, aiming to make carbon storage and utilization more economically feasible overall.
So far, they’ve scaled CycloneCC to handle 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. And, in the coming years, they’re looking to ramp up to half a million tonnes annually. The modular setup means that capturing one million tonnes only requires two or three units, what they call “trains”, which makes the system attractive across various sectors.
In the Middle East, a few key milestones highlight CycloneCC’s growing influence in local decarbonisation. One notable example is a project with Fertiglobe, a nitrogen fertiliser producer located at Abu Dhabi’s Al Ruwais Industrial Complex, which marked the world’s first large-scale industrial deployment of CycloneCC. The unit was installed in under a week, showcasing how quickly it’s possible to get these systems up and running. It has clocked about 4,000 operational hours over six months, delivering high-purity CO₂ that meets Fertiglobe’s strict standards, meaning the system performed well and was ready for industrial use.
Adnoc’s decision to use CycloneCC for this project added significant credibility, especially since it forms part of the UAE’s broader push towards carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco, working alongside Carbon Clean and Samsung Engineering & Construction, is testing CycloneCC for capturing CO₂ from natural gas turbines with about 4% CO₂ content. That project features a system that’s 50 percent smaller footprint-wise than traditional alternatives, further proof of CycloneCC’s space-saving design.
The system is also making progress offshore. Carbon Clean and MODEC, a top player in floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, have teamed up to design and eventually install CycloneCC modules on offshore platforms. A pilot project scheduled for 2026 will be a pioneering step, showing modular carbon capture can work on FPSOs, which might just expand its reach geographically and operationally.
Target sectors in the Middle East include cement, waste-to-energy, shipping, biomass, and oil and gas, pretty much the usual suspects. Bumb also mentioned that adoption isn’t just driven by government regulations anymore; increasingly, companies are making voluntary commitments to sustainability. They’re exploring uses for the captured CO₂, for making methanol, sustainable jet fuels, and building materials, for example, demonstrating that CO₂ isn’t just waste but can actually be a valuable resource.
That said, Bumb emphasized that strong policy frameworks and financial incentives are still essential to push things forward. He pointed to Norway’s Northern Lights project as a good example of coordinated infrastructure and business models that make CCS viable. Government-backed pilots, tax credits, and subsidies are expected to play a vital role in de-risking early-stage projects and helping them scale.
While Carbon Clean tends to operate mainly through licensing and equipment sales, interest in carbon capture-as-a-service (CCaaS) is growing, they see this as a way to make the technology more accessible to industries that might otherwise hesitate.
The backing from major oil companies like Adnoc and Aramco boosts CycloneCC’s market credibility. Bumb noted that these giants conduct very thorough technical and commercial assessments before approving pilot projects, which helps prove the technology’s viability and scalability. This kind of endorsement, he argued, also speeds up talks with other industrial players around the world, helping move carbon capture beyond the pilot phase towards real, large-scale deployment.
As the Middle East pushes ahead with its ambitious energy transition and net-zero goals, modular, scalable tech like Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC looks set to be a critical enabler. Its ability to integrate quickly and at lower costs could be a game-changer in tackling the region’s stubborn hard-to-mitigate emissions, perhaps positioning the Middle East as a leader in the next wave of carbon capture innovation.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.zawya.com/en/projects/industry/carbon-clean-steps-up-middle-east-push-with-modular-carbon-capture-technology-s0pnrewu – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/operational-hours-milestone – Carbon Clean has announced the successful completion of the world’s first industrial deployment of its CycloneCC technology. The modular unit achieved approximately 4,000 operating hours over a six-month period, delivering high-purity CO₂ that exceeded projected targets and met Fertiglobe’s CO₂ purity requirements. The CycloneCC unit was installed on-site in under a week at Fertiglobe’s nitrogen fertiliser plant in the Al Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant milestone in the carbon capture sector. ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/operational-hours-milestone?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/adnoc-pr – ADNOC has selected Carbon Clean’s innovative modular CycloneCC technology for a carbon capture project at Fertiglobe’s nitrogen fertiliser plant in the Al Ruwais Industrial Complex, Abu Dhabi, UAE. This project marks the first deployment of a 10 tonnes per day CycloneCC industrial unit anywhere in the world. The CycloneCC unit is being fabricated in the UAE, ahead of commissioning this month. ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/adnoc-pr?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/modec – MODEC has entered into a Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract with SAMSUNG E&A for an offshore carbon capture pilot project, selecting Carbon Clean’s modular CycloneCC technology. The study envisages the installation of a carbon capture module on a MODEC Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel as a pilot, marking a first-of-its-kind deployment of CycloneCC in an onboard carbon capture setting. ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/modec?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/modec-cyclonecc – Carbon Clean and MODEC have signed a landmark agreement to jointly develop and scale Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC carbon capture technology for offshore applications. The collaboration aims to deploy a fully commercialised CycloneCC solution on MODEC’s FPSO designs, with a pilot plant targeted for installation in 2026, followed by the first commercial-scale deployment. ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/modec-cyclonecc?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/aramco – Aramco, Carbon Clean, and SAMSUNG E&A have partnered to demonstrate a new carbon capture technology. This collaboration aims to deploy Carbon Clean’s novel CycloneCC technology to capture CO₂ from natural gas turbine exhaust streams containing approximately 4% CO₂. The modular CycloneCC unit has a 50% smaller footprint compared to conventional carbon capture processes. ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/aramco?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.carboncapturejournal.com/news/carbon-clean-completes-first-industrial-deployment-of-cyclonecc/6725.aspx – Carbon Clean has completed the first industrial deployment of its CycloneCC technology. The modular unit achieved approximately 4,000 operating hours over a six-month period, moving CycloneCC to Technology Readiness Level 7. The mobile CycloneCC unit was installed on-site in under a week at Fertiglobe’s nitrogen fertiliser plant in the Al Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi, a record for the carbon capture sector. ([carboncapturejournal.com](https://www.carboncapturejournal.com/news/carbon-clean-completes-first-industrial-deployment-of-cyclonecc/6725.aspx?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, dated November 14, 2025. It references events up to ADIPEC 2025, indicating timeliness. However, similar content has appeared in press releases from Carbon Clean, such as the announcement of the world’s first industrial deployment of CycloneCC in April 2025 ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/operational-hours-milestone?utm_source=openai)) and the collaboration with MODEC in June 2025 ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/modec-cyclonecc?utm_source=openai)). The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. Additionally, the report mentions a pilot project scheduled for 2026, which is a future event. The presence of a press release suggests a high freshness score, but the recycled content warrants caution.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from Prateek Bumb, Carbon Clean’s CTO, and Aniruddha Sharma, Chair and CEO of Carbon Clean. Similar quotes have appeared in previous press releases, such as Bumb’s comments on CycloneCC’s deployment times and cost reductions ([carbonclean.com](https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/operational-hours-milestone?utm_source=openai)). The wording of these quotes varies slightly, indicating potential reuse or paraphrasing. No online matches were found for some of the quotes, suggesting they may be original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative originates from Zawya, a news platform that aggregates content from various sources. While it provides timely information, its reputation for original reporting is less established compared to outlets like the Financial Times or Reuters. The reliance on press releases and the lack of independent verification raise concerns about the reliability of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The claims about Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC technology and its deployments in the Middle East align with information from Carbon Clean’s official press releases. However, the report’s reliance on press releases without independent verification and the recycling of older material raise questions about the originality and potential disinformation. The lack of coverage from other reputable outlets on some of the claims further diminishes the plausibility of the narrative.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents recycled content from previous press releases, lacks independent verification, and relies heavily on information from Carbon Clean’s own communications. The presence of similar quotes and the lack of coverage from other reputable outlets raise concerns about the originality and potential disinformation. Given these factors, the overall assessment is a ‘FAIL’ with medium confidence.
