Rizwan Abdulwahab

Emirati engineer leading the world's first zero-emission oil production project in Abu Dhabi

Rizwan Abdulwahab is a UAE-based petroleum engineer making historic contributions to sustainable energy production. As Chief Technology Officer of ADNOC, he oversees the Sustainable Oil Production Initiative, the first global effort to achieve net-zero emissions in oil extraction. Launched in 2021, this project uses carbon capture technology integrated with solar-powered operations to reduce emissions by 98% compared to conventional methods.

Abdulwahab's team pioneered the CO2-EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) system that recycles captured carbon dioxide to boost oil recovery while permanently storing CO2 underground. By 2024, this innovation had sequestered over 1 million tons of CO2 annually. He developed the Sun-to-Wire system, replacing diesel generators with solar-powered offshore platforms. His work earned the 2023 Global Energy Prize and inspired similar projects in Oman and Saudi Arabia.