ADNOC deals to boost oil output by 380,000 b/d
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has advanced two projects which will increase its production by 380,000 b/d of crude oil.
In the larger of the projects, the company entered an agreement with partners in supergiant Upper Zakum offshore field to boost production to one million b/d from about 650,000 b/d at present.
The agreement extends the concession of ExxonMobil, which holds a 28% interest, and Japan Oil Development Company Ltd (Jodco), with 12%, by ten years to 2051. ADNOC holds the remaining 60%. Jodco is wholly owned by INPEX Corporation.
The project will include construction of four artificial islands in shallow water to support drilling of extended-reach wells with onshore rigs as well as offices and housing.
Initial Upper Zakum development involved 450 wells and more than 90 offshore platforms.
The field produces 33.9° gravity crude, which is partially processed offshore then moved by pipeline to Zirku Island, 55 kilometres away, for further processing, storage, and tanker loading.
In the other project, ADNOC has let an engineering, procurement, and construction contract to China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPEC) to boost production capacity of onshore Bab field to 450,000 b/d of crude oil from 420,000 b/d by 2020.
CPEC is an affiliate of China National Petroleum Corporation.
The upgrade will make the field’s first use of cluster drilling and digital oil field technology.
The project also will increase water and gas-handling capacities and add a degassing and processing train to seven trains now in place.
ADNOC is increasing its total production capacity to 3.5 million b/d next year from about 3.1 million b/d at present.