Adnoc achieves industry-leading carbon intensity at Shah oil field

Adnoc announced on Thursday that its onshore Shah Field has achieved an industry-leading carbon intensity of 0.1 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per barrel of oil equivalent (kgCO2e/boe), setting a benchmark among global oil fields. This milestone achievement underscores Adnoc’s commitment to producing some of the world’s least carbon-intensive oil and gas.

Adnoc’s Shah oil field, which is located 230 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi, has a production capacity of approximately 70,000 barrels of crude oil per day (kpbd), enough to fuel more than one million cars in the UAE.

The field reached this milestone through optimised field development, deployment of digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies to maximise efficiencies and minimise emissions. The field also benefits from Adnoc’s electrification of its onshore assets, which are powered by nuclear and solar energy sources.

Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Adnoc Upstream CEO, said, “Technology is essential to Adnoc’s journey towards net zero, and this milestone at Shah demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and innovation.

By leveraging advanced solutions including AI, digitalisation, remote operations and predictive data analytics, we are optimising operational performance while significantly reducing emissions, reinforcing our position as provider of some of the world’s least carbon-intensive oil and gas. We will continue to innovate to decarbonise our operations and future-proof our business while ensuring a reliable energy supply to meet global demand.”

Technologies deployed at the field include liquid ejector technology - an advanced system designed to recover and reuse gas that would otherwise be wasted, saving power and reducing emissions - and Adnoc’s AI-enabled Centralised Predictive Analytics Diagnostics (CPAD) programme, which reduces maintenance and downtime while enhancing operational efficiency and safety.

Adnoc achieved an upstream carbon intensity of ~7kgCO2e/boe in 2023 - placing the company in the top tier of the lowest-carbon-intensity oil and gas producers in the world - and a 6.2 million tonnes CO2e reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions, including approximately 4.8 million tonnes from using clean grid energy from solar and nuclear power.

Meanwhile Adnoc Gas and its subsidiaries celebrated a new long-term strategic partnership with Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) to support the UAE’s energy transformation.

This landmark agreement is underpinned by a 10-year flexible natural gas sales and purchase agreement between Adnoc Gas Facilities and EWEC worth $10 billion.

The strategic partnership was attended by Fatema Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Adnoc Gas, Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, and representatives from both entities.

Fatema Al Nuaimi said, “We greatly value our long-term partnership with EWEC, which is underpinned by a 10-year strategic agreement, supporting the rise of digitisation, the increasing need for resilient connectivity and growing technology adoption across the UAE’s economy, while advancing the nation’s net-zero ambitions.

By collaborating across the industrial value chain to leverage Abu Dhabi’s vast gas reserves, we are working to ensure the UAE’s self-sufficiency while continuing to fuel over two thirds of the nation’s industries, driving sustainable economic growth and diversification.”

Othman Al Ali said, “This landmark agreement with Adnoc Gas ensures a stable and flexible supply of natural gas that is pivotal to enabling the UAE’s energy transition. As we accelerate the integration of renewable and clean energy and advanced technologies, natural gas plays a critical role in bridging the gap between traditional and sustainable energy sources.

This partnership strengthens EWEC’s ability to deliver a secure, efficient, and decarbonised water and electricity system while contributing to the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. By collaborating with Adnoc Gas, we are reaffirming our shared commitment to powering the UAE’s economic growth, advancing sustainability, and ensuring long-term energy security for generations to come.”

As EWEC continues to utilise transformative renewable and clean energy innovations to drive the decarbonisation of water and electricity supply in the UAE, supporting the country’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, gas-fired plants provide important transitional capacity enabling the continued integration of large-scale renewable and clean energy.

The flexible natural gas supply will be delivered to plants across Abu Dhabi and the UAE and solidifies the shared commitment of both parties to drive sustainable economic growth in the UAE. As such, Adnoc Gas supports EWEC in its strategic plans to transform the UAE’s energy sector into a clean and renewable-focused industry, driving the nation’s economic growth and digital technology led diversification.