Adnoc, Total Start Flowing Unconventional Gas in UAE
The UAE's national oil company Adnoc and France's Total have extracted the first unconventional gas from the Ruwais Diyab concession some 200 km from Abu Dhabi, Adnoc said on November 11.
The pair teamed up at Ruwais Diyab in 2018, with Adnoc transferring a 40% stake in the concession to Total. Under their agreement, Total will explore, appraise and develop the concession's unconventional gas.
Adnoc is striving to produce 1bn ft3/day from Ruwais Diyab by 2030. Its gas is delivered to Adnoc's gas network via a purpose-built pipeline, and can be used for power supply and feedstock at the Ruwais refining and petrochemicals complex, which Adnoc is expanding.
"In addition to developing the Ruwais Diyab concession, Adnoc will unlock gas resources from its Ghasha concession and Abu Dhabi's giant gas caps, as well as new natural gas accumulations which will continue to be appraised and developed as the company pursues its exploration activities," Adnoc said in a statement.
Abu Dhabi's Supreme Petroleum Council in 2019 estimated the UAE's unconventional gas reserves at 160 trillion ft3. Exploration has continued since then, with Adnoc reporting the discovery of a new 80 trillion ft3 shallow gas accumulation in February.
Despite its significant resources, the UAE became a net importer of gas in 2008 as a result of rising demand for gas in power generation and oil recovery. It receives supplies from Qatar via the Dolphin gas pipeline. The Gulf state is striving to become self-sufficient again, however, and even produce enough to underpin exports.