Dana Gas PJSC (“Dana Gas”), the Middle East’s largest regional private-sector natural gas company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK-based advanced materials firm Levidian to develop the Sharjah Graphene Park, a new manufacturing and commercialisation hub for advanced materials in the UAE.
The agreement was signed during Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) and witnessed by senior representatives from the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), Mubadala Investment Company, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), Sharjah Asset Management, as well as officials from the UK government.
The MoU builds on an existing partnership between Dana Gas and Levidian, first announced in January 2025. Under that collaboration, Dana Gas has been progressing the deployment of a pilot unit using Levidian’s proprietary LOOP technology across its operations. The latest agreement expands the partnership toward industrial-scale graphene production, market development, and the potential localisation of LOOP systems within the UAE.
Levidian’s LOOP technology uses microwave plasma to crack methane, producing hydrogen and solid carbon in the form of high-quality graphene. The process enables the creation of valuable materials from existing gas streams, unlocking new commercial opportunities while contributing to emissions reduction.
The Sharjah Graphene Park will be developed in phases, beginning with the installation of initial LOOP systems in Sharjah to establish local production capacity. The first phase is expected to deliver an indicative graphene output of around 15 tonnes per year.
Depending on market demand and the performance of the initial phase, the project is planned to scale into a multi-unit production cluster. Future phases could include local assembly, integration, and eventually full manufacturing of LOOP systems within the UAE.
Initial investment for the project is estimated between $2 million and $5 million, with early expansion expected to range from $5 million to $50 million. As the project progresses and demand grows, total investment could exceed $50 million.
The initiative aims to support the development of a reliable regional supply of high-quality graphene and accelerate its adoption across key industries such as construction, polymers, coatings, and energy, where demand is rising rapidly.
Both companies will collaborate to build a scalable production platform, stimulate downstream demand, and engage with industrial, government, and research stakeholders to establish a strong graphene ecosystem in the UAE.
The agreement aligns with the objectives of Make it in the Emirates, reinforcing the role of advanced materials and local manufacturing in driving industrial growth, innovation, and economic diversification in the country.
