The Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) has announced the launch of its new gas storage project. This follows a small-scale pilot phase using the existing infrastructure that has been in operation since the beginning of 2017.

The first gas was introduced into the project on 1 January 2021, following a turbulent year and marking a new era for SNOC. The project was completed on time and on budget and was awarded within one year of the EPC contract in December 2019.

With the completion of this project, SNOC will enter a new business area to help balance the supply of gas and demand for Sharjah and meet the required supply flexibility for the power sector in Sharjah, said the top official.

"The completion of this project is an outstanding achievement considering the local and international supply chain challenges we met due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was completed without any operational, safety or environmental incidents," said CEO Hatem Al Mosa.

The project included the installation of high-pressure (HP) gas compression units, HP gas pipelines, utilities and support facilities, metering and linkage to existing plants and wells. It will operate in a fully automated mode with world-class technical and safety standards. The new infrastructure is designed to allow for future expansion.

"The timely launch of this project is a major new business development activity for SNOC. It will allow us to store excess gas in the winter to satisfy the summer peak demand as well as provide a readily available strategic reserve for energy security allowing us to respond to unexpected operational or market issues," he added.