Abstract
Sohar Port and Freezone is well-positioned to drive Oman`s economic future through continued expansion, increased reliance on sustainable energy, and the integration of advanced digital tools. Sohar contributes 25% of the current GHG emissions in Oman. Decarbonizing Sohar industrial clusters is a strategic challenge for emerging economies striving to attain net-zero objectives. This research develops a superstructure optimization framework for designing an integrated Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) value chain, specifically applied to the Sohar Port and Freezone in Oman. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation that simultaneously selects capture technologies, identifies optimal transport modes (pipeline, trucking, and shipping), and allocates CO2 flows among utilization and geological storage alternatives. The novelty of this work lies in the multi-scale integration of techno-economic, spatial, and policy dimensions, coupled with GIS-based route generation into the optimization model. Currently, the total CO2 emission from Sohar Freezone is around 20.3 MtCO2/yr, after applying the CCUS value chain optimization, 7 - 14 MtCO2 annual net reduction could be achieved, corresponding to 30-70% cluster-level decarbonization at 50 - 85 USD/tCO2 levelized cost of CO2 capture, transport, and storage. Sensitivity analysis reveals that port-based CO2 hubs, combined with short-haul shipping to offshore storage, reduce the system cost by 23-31% compared to single-mode configurations. The framework offers decision-support tools for policymakers and industrial stakeholders, integrating techno-economic optimization with regional carbon control policies. The Sohar case study demonstrates the capabilities of computational superstructure design to expedite CCUS implementation in the industrial clusters in the Gulf region.