ADNOC and TOTAL announced the launching of the first unconventional gas from the United Arab Emirates. Unconventional gas was supplied from the Ruwais Diyab Unconventional Gas Concession located 200 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi City.

This achievement marks a significant milestone towards potential full-field production and is an important step towards the ADNOC goal of generating 1 billion sfd of gas from the concession before 2030, effectively enabling UAE gas self-sufficiency.

The first gas from Ruwais Diyab comes only two years after ADNOC and TOTAL signed the first historic unconventional gas concession agreement in the country. In addition, this initial output milestone marks the first time that unconventional gas projects in the Middle East are supplying gas to pipelines so early on in the timeline of the project.

Accelerated progress has been made possible by a strong commitment and collaboration between ADNOC and TOTAL, enabling them to rapidly track the discovery of these unconventional gas resources while tailoring operations to the type of shale play by the UAE.

Yaser Saeed Almazrouei, ADNOC Upstream Executive Director, said This achievement marks another significant milestone in the production of unconventional gas resources in the UAE as we deliver on our integrated gas strategy and work towards achieving gas self-sufficiency for the country.

Accelerated progress in Ruwais Diyab is a testament to the long-standing partnership between ADNOC and TOTAL, which has allowed us to accelerate the learning curve in the development of unconventional gas resources, given cost-optimization opportunities and driven efficiencies. All of these remain key as we step forward confidently to further grow the concession and unlock its tremendous potential to generate sustainable value for the UAE and its citizens."

Unconventional gas is supplied through a purpose-built gas pipeline and a centralised early production facility in the Diyab field that enables distribution through the ADNOC gas network. The Ruwais Diyab Unconventional Gas Concession benefits greatly from its strategic position near the Ruwais industrial area of ADNOC, providing market access and enabling operations to exploit ADNOC's extensive existing infrastructure, which will continue to support the developing unconventional sector of the UAE.

In November 2018, ADNOC signed an agreement with TOTAL giving it a 40% stake in the Ruwais Diyab Unconventional Gas Concession. Under the terms of the agreement, TOTAL will explore, assess and develop unconventional gas resources in the concession area. In addition to the production of the Ruwais Diyab concession, ADNOC will unlock gas supplies from its Ghasha concession and Abu Dhabi's giant gas caps, as well as new natural gas accumulations that will continue to be assessed and produced as the company pursues its exploration activities.