ADNOC enthüllt 6,2 Milliarden Dollar Investition in Umm Shaif Gaskappe, während es die Gas-Exportstrategie beschleunigt

Adnoc has announced a $6.2 billion investment in the Umm Shaif gas cap project in Abu Dhabi, marking a key step in its accelerated gas export strategy. The final investment decision (FID) for the project will enable the extraction of over 600 million standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of natural gas and associated gas liquids. This volume represents nearly 10 percent of the United Arab Emirates' current daily gas consumption. The announcement comes as global demand for cleaner energy sources continues to grow. The investment includes the awarding of three engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts totaling $5.1 billion to consortiums comprising both UAE-based and international firms. Additionally, a separate $365 million program for drilling and integrated services will be executed by Adnoc Drilling over a period of 18 months, utilizing three existing rigs. Production from the Umm Shaif gas cap is scheduled to commence by 2030. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, who serves as the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and the managing director of Adnoc, emphasized the significance of the FID. He noted that the project reinforces Adnoc's role as a dependable gas supplier. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with international partners such as TotalEnergys, Eni from Italy, and China National Petroleum Corporation. A gas cap refers to the natural accumulation of gas located above an oil column within a reservoir. The Umm Shaif field, part of the broader Umm Shaif and Nasr concession, has contributed to meeting global energy demands for 64 years. The first offshore well in Abu Dhabi, Umm Shaif 1, was drilled in 1958 by Rig Enterprise. The recent investment decision for the Umm Shaif gas cap follows the approval of the Bab Gas Cap concession agreement by the Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs. This agreement is projected to add an additional 1.5 billion scfd of natural gas and associated gas liquids to the region's output. This move aligns with Adnoc's efforts to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) marketing and trading platform in Abu Dhabi's financial center, ADGM. The platform aims to achieve a combined marketable LNG capacity of 47 million tonnes per annum by 2035. The expansion also supports the development of the Ruwais LNG project, which is anticipated to begin commercial operations in 2028. Upon completion, the project will more than double Adnoc's LNG production capacity to approximately 15 million tonnes annually. Over 90 percent of the Ruwais LNG project's 9.6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity has already been secured through long-term agreements with international clients. Notably, a 15-year agreement was recently signed with Japan's Inpex, ensuring an annual supply of one million tonnes from the site. The Ruwais LNG facility will be the first LNG export plant in the Middle East and Africa to operate on clean power. It is supported by equity partners BP, Mitsui from Japan, Shell, and TotalEnergies, each holding a 10 percent stake. Fatema Al Nuaimi, CEO of Adnoc Gas, expressed confidence that the completion of the Ruwais LNG project will transform the UAE into a net exporter of gas. She stated that this development would mark a pivotal moment for the nation. Furthermore, Adnoc plans to allocate a portion of the Ruwais LNG output to fulfill spot demand in Asia, where there is a rising shift away from coal towards gas usage. The UAE possesses the world's seventh-largest natural gas reserves. As global demand for gas increases due to efforts to mitigate climate change, projections indicate that LNG demand could rise by 54 to 68 percent by 2040 and further by 45 to 85 percent by 2050, starting from 422 million metric tonnes in 2025. This upward trend is largely driven by increasing demand in Asian markets, according to energy company Shell.