Make it in the Emirates: How ADNOC Refining turned ‘Bottom of the Barrel’ into Top of the World
As the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates showcases the UAE’s industrial resilience in Abu Dhabi, an ADNOC Refining collaboration with Emirates Global Aluminium is demonstrating the national platform in action.
Abu Dhabi, UAE – May 08, 2026: At Ruwais Refinery in Al Dhafra Region, a once-overlooked byproduct is being transformed into a strategic raw material that's strengthening the security of the UAE’s industrial supply chain, reflecting the very ambition underpinning Make it in the Emirates.
For decades, raw petroleum coke was considered “bottom of the barrel” and used primarily as shipping fuel. But in the 2010s, ADNOC made a bold strategic leap to reduce reliance on external sources for critical industrial input: investing in the complex technology and equipment needed to convert this low-value residue into calcined coke.
The high-purity carbon material produced is shipped to Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), under a five-year agreement secured last May, EGA’s second with ADNOC Refining since 2019, which covers up to 1.5 million tonnes of calcined petroleum coke. This enables EGA to meet 30% of its needs domestically, reinforcing the UAE’s role as a global aluminum supplier while reducing reliance on raw material imports for aluminum production.
For Esam Marhoon, Senior Director in EGA’s strategic raw material procurement department, the agreement fully showcases the benefits of the Make it in the Emirates national platform.
Each year, EGA spends more than AED8 billion on goods and services from UAE suppliers, more than 40% of its total global procurement spend. A key goal for EGA is to grow local procurement even further, and sourcing calcined petcoke from ADNOC is part of that.
“It further increases our contribution to the UAE economy and will underpin EGA’s metal production in the UAE for many years to come,” adds Esam.
But this story isn't just about the remarkable journey of a molecule or the breakthrough technologies, it's also very much about the people behind them. Among those powering the project are two young female Emirati engineers, both of whom were born and raised in Ruwais and are in their mid-20s.
“It's exciting to be working on something that feels like the start of the future,” says Alreem Alhammadi, a Process Engineer. “At ADNOC, we don't simply accept that something is ‘impossible’, we find a way forward. This project is a perfect example of that mindset.”
Calcined coke is a key ingredient in the anodes used in the electrolysis process that separates the aluminum atoms and oxygen atoms in alumina. This makes it a critical link in the UAE's industrial value chain and essential to maintaining stable, uninterrupted industrial operations. It is now being produced locally at scale.
The rotary kiln system operated by the ADNOC Refining team, who are online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, achieves the conversion by reaching temperatures of up to 1300°C – hotter than molten lava. The process spins the coke almost like a potter shaping clay in a blazing kiln, ensuring each particle is evenly fired to the “anode-grade” needed for electrolysis.
The ‘Start of the Future’
“Our relationship with EGA is truly collaborative,” says Mujtaba. “Together, we take weekly samples to ensure the product meets anode-grade standards and run tests at our research lab to maintain quality.”
Her colleague, Alyazi Al Mansoori, a Health Safety and Environment Engineer, adds: “It's immensely fulfilling to be part of this production journey. We aren't just turning byproducts into something valuable; we are also gaining invaluable experience in a very dynamic environment. It's a unique chance to apply the chemical engineering skills we gained at university in the real world.”
Their contribution reinforces the fact that this is a project grounded in local innovation, with results that reach far beyond the refinery gates. The calcined coke produced here is helping EGA create aluminum that can be exported or rise into the glittering skyscrapers defining the UAE’s own towering skylines, a visible reminder of ‘bottom of the barrel’ to ‘top of the world’.
“We’re proud to be part of ADNOC, and working on critical projects like this in Al Dhafra shows our commitment to both the company and the country,” says Saeed Aldahmani, who relocated from Fujairah to take on the role of HSE engineer at the refinery. “We’ll do
whatever it takes, even move across the length of our country, because at the end of the day, our nation’s success is everyone’s responsibility.”