Unveiling Jebel Al Dhanna: UAE's Premier Salt Dome for Energy Transition

The Jebel Al Dhanna salt dome, located in Abu Dhabi, stands as the only emergent salt structure onshore in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Formed from the ancient Infra-Cambrian Hormuz Salt, this geological feature has captured attention due to its potential role in the nation's push toward sustainable energy solutions. Rising prominently above the desert landscape, it measures approximately 2.8 kilometers east-west and 4.2 kilometers north-south at the surface, extending deep underground.

Salt domes like Jebel Al Dhanna are natural repositories characterized by thick layers of evaporites, primarily halite (rock salt), that migrate upward due to buoyancy over millions of years. Their impermeability and self-healing properties make them ideal for subsurface storage, a critical need as the UAE accelerates its Net Zero by 2050 initiative. This ambitious goal requires innovative approaches to manage hydrogen (H2) for clean fuel and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) to mitigate emissions from ongoing oil and gas operations.

In the broader context of the UAE's energy landscape, where hydrocarbons remain dominant but renewables are surging, such structures bridge the gap. They enable seasonal storage of green hydrogen produced from solar-powered electrolysis, ensuring supply stability during peak demand. Similarly, CO2 capture from industrial sources can be injected into salt caverns, preventing atmospheric release while awaiting utilization in enhanced oil recovery or synthetic fuels.

Khalifa University's Groundbreaking Publications

Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), a leading research institution in Abu Dhabi, has spearheaded investigations into Jebel Al Dhanna. Two pivotal publications from KU's Department of Earth Sciences detail its structure and viability for geostorage. The first, "Geometry and Kinematics of the Hormuz Salt at Jebel Al Dhanna, United Arab Emirates: Implications for Salt Tectonics and Subsurface Storage," appeared in Tectonics in November 2025. Led by researchers M. Ali, Hamda Alshehhi, and Mohammed Y. Ali, it leverages 3D seismic data, wireline logs, and kinematic modeling.

The second study, "Internal Architecture and Inclusions of Jebel Al Dhanna Hormuz Salt Dome, United Arab Emirates: Implications for Geostorage," published in August 2026 in Marine Geoscience and Energy by the same team, delves into borehole data and seismic imaging. These works, funded by KU, provide the first comprehensive 3D models of an emergent UAE salt dome, directly addressing government assessments for storage sites.

KU's Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), established in 2019, aligns perfectly with these efforts. As the UAE's only dedicated CCUS and hydrogen center, RICH supports projects on capture, storage, and low-carbon fuels, positioning KU at the forefront of regional decarbonization.

Deciphering the Dome's Geometry and Evolutionary History

The KU studies reveal Jebel Al Dhanna as a plug-shaped salt stock with a distinctive bulb-and-neck morphology. At depth, it narrows to under 1.3 km in the feeder zone, expanding to 3.2 km in the central bulb, reaching over 9 km thick from near-surface to 9 km below sea level. Its elliptical shape, elongated north-south, features steep flanks and irregular crests, shaped by multiple intrusive centers.

Kinematic restoration models trace its history back to the Late Ediacaran–Early Cambrian, shortly after Hormuz Salt deposition. Initial passive rise via downbuilding dominated from Cambrian to Carboniferous. Subsequent reactivations tied to regional tectonics: Permian rifting, Late Jurassic extension, Late Cretaceous compression (Semail Ophiolite obduction), and Late Oligocene–Miocene Zagros-related shortening. Ongoing evacuation is evident from tilted Miocene and Quaternary strata.

Halokinetic sequences—wedge-shaped (sedimentation outpacing rise) and hook-shaped (rise exceeding sedimentation)—precisely time these phases, offering a template for modeling other UAE domes.

Mapping Internal Architecture and Inclusions

Borehole lithology shows over 50% massive halite across drilled intervals, ideal for cavern leaching where water dissolves salt to create voids. The 2026 paper maps 52 inclusions thicker than 40 m (seismic resolution limit), continuous over hundreds of meters to 1 km. Sedimentary and igneous in nature, they cluster in the upper 1,350 m, along eastern/western margins and central zones.

Synthetic seismograms tie well data to reflections, confirming reliability. These heterogeneities demand careful site selection to avoid compromising cavern integrity, but vast halite volumes mitigate risks.

Hydrogen Storage: A Game-Changer for UAE's Clean Energy Goals

Hydrogen, the lightest element, poses unique storage challenges due to low density and volatility. Salt caverns excel here, proven globally for natural gas with cushion gas (permanent H2 fill) enabling 80-90% working volume cycling. Jebel Al Dhanna's thick, pure halite supports caverns up to 50 m wide, storing gigatons-scale H2.

UAE's National Hydrogen Strategy targets leadership by 2031, producing low-emission H2 from solar/wind electrolysis for export and hard-to-abate sectors like steel and aviation. Domestically, it buffers intermittency, aligning with ADNOC's blue hydrogen hubs. KU research confirms domes' mechanical stability under cyclic pressures.

Challenges include H2 embrittlement (mitigated by salt's isolation) and permeability testing, but pilots like EU's HyPSTER validate feasibility.

CO2 Sequestration: Locking Away Emissions Securely

CO2 storage in salt caverns offers temporary buffering before mineralization or utilization. UAE's CCUS roadmap eyes 15 Mtpa capacity by 2030, rising exponentially. Jebel Al Dhanna's low-permeability halite ensures containment, with caprock integrity from halokinetic drapes.

While depleted reservoirs dominate current plans, domes provide proximity to emitters like Ruwais refineries. KU's inclusions mapping guides injection zones, avoiding fractures.

Advanced Methodologies Driving Discovery

KU employed three 3D seismic surveys (e.g., Survey 1: 408 lines), four boreholes with cores/logs, and restoration software. Seismic attributes highlight inclusions; AVO analysis distinguishes lithologies. This workflow, replicable for subsurface domes, integrates geophysics, petrophysics, and tectonics.

• 3D visualization of bulb-neck structure
• Sequential restoration for kinematics
• Lithofacies from gamma-ray/density logs
• Synthetic seismograms for calibration

UAE's Strategic Energy Transition Context

UAE's Net Zero 2050 demands H2 at 3.4 Mtpa by 2031, scaling to 11.5 Mtpa. Salt domes complement aquifers/reservoirs, offering flexibility. ADNOC's partnerships (eTAZ for blue H2) and DEWA's green H2 plant underscore momentum.National Hydrogen Strategy highlights storage as pivotal.

Globally, 100+ caverns store gas; UAE's 20+ domes position it competitively.

Challenges and Future Research Directions

Impurity testing, geomechanical modeling under H2/CO2 pressures, and pilot leaching are next. KU plans core analyses for composition. Regulatory frameworks evolve via MoESRT.

Stakeholder Perspectives and Global Benchmarks

Prof. Stuart Haszeldine notes economic viability for H2 over permanent CO2. KU's work inspires regional analogs in Oman/Qatar.

Explore opportunities in UAE higher education through AcademicJobs UAE.

Photo by Usman Yousaf on Unsplash