Our work in United Arab Emirates

Our presence in UAE is becoming increasingly broad, driven by the partnership with ADNOC and the scale of the Ruwais and Ghasha projects.

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Initiatives for decarbonization

On Saturday 4 March 2023, Claudio Descalzi, Eni Chief Executive Officer, and his Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, signed in Abu Dhabi a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which outlines a framework of cooperation for future joint projects on energy transition, sustainability and decarbonization. The MoU was signed in the presence of the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. Through this agreement, Eni and ADNOC will explore potential opportunities in the areas of renewable energy, blue and green hydrogen, carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS), in the reduction of greenhouse gas and methane gas emissions, energy efficiency, routine gas flaring reduction and the Global Methane Pledge, to support global energy security and a sustainable energy transition. In addition, they will evaluate areas of cooperation for sustainable development and promoting the spread of a culture of sustainability within the energy industry and its stakeholders.

In September 2022 the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Claudio Descalzi, Eni's Chief Executive Officer, met to jointly analyze the progress of the company's activities in the Emirate and discuss projects, areas of common interest and collaboration, with the aim to accelerate the existing development project and the time-to-market of new exploration discoveries and international activities, in line with the common decarbonization strategy and with the purpose to contribute to increasing worldwide gas supply. They also discussed the acceleration of the multi-billion-dollar Ghasha project. The project is estimated to hold significant recoverable gas and is expected to produce more than 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) in addition to more than 120,000 barrels of high-value oil and condensates per day.

In September 2021 we signed with Mubadala Petroleum a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at identifying cooperation opportunities in the energy transition sector, including the fields of hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization and storage, that align with their respective decarbonization targets. The scope of the cooperation covers potential joint opportunities in the Middle East, North Africa, South East Asia, Europe and other regions of mutual interest. This agreement marks a further tangible step in line with Eni's commitment towards carbon neutrality by 2050. We aim for operational excellence in our activities, reducing direct CO2 emissions from operating assets. We develop new technologies to capture, store and use CO2 to bolster our decarbonization strategy. Specifically, we are working with ADNOC to build a carbon capture and storage plant and an enhanced oil recovery project in the BAB, to reduce emissions to 360 thousand tonnes per year. We have also launched a project to electrify the Lower Zakum, Umm Shaif / Nasr and Dalma fields, aiming at further decreasing emissions by 200 thousand tonnes per year.

Claudio Descalzi Chief Executive Officer

The agreements for the diversification of energy sources

We work closely with producing countries, partners and local institutions to progressively differentiate our global portfolio.

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Exploration of high potential areas

Eni has been present in United Arab Emirates since 2018 over a developed and undeveloped acreage of 32,620 square kilometers (18,771 square kilometers net to Eni). In the exploration phase Eni operates: Blocks 1, 2 and 3 with a 70% interest, in the offshore Abu Dhabi, Area A and C onshore concessions with a 75% interest, Block offshore A and Block onshore 7 with a 90% interest in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah. In addition Eni holds 50% interest in the Area B concession in the Emirate of Sharjah. In the development phase Eni holds a 25% interest in the Ghasha offshore concession with duration of 40 years. The concession includes Hail, Ghasha, Dalma gas fields and certain offshore fields in the Al Dhafra area. Eni holds interest in the Lower Zakum (Eni’s interest 5%) and Umm Shaif/Nasr (Eni’s interest 10%) production concessions. These concessions, with duration of 40 years, are located in the offshore Abu Dhabi with oil, condensates and gas production.

In 2022 production averaged 60 kboe/d net to Eni and comes from Lower Zaku and Umm Shaif/Nasr fields as well as Mahani field with start-up achieved in January 2021. The Mahani field is located in the onshore Concession Area B in the Emirate of Sharjah. Start-up was achieved just one year after Mahani 1 exploration well discovery and two years after signing the concession agreement. Development activities, sanctioned with the final investment decision, provide the progressive rampup with the tie-back of two additional productive wells. 

In the 2021 two development projects were sanctioned: the Dalma Gas Development in the offshore Gasha concession and the Umm Shaif Long-Term Development Phase 1 in the Umm Shaif concession. Exploration In 2022 exploration activities yielded positive results in the operated Block 2 with the XF-002 well, in offshore Abu Dhabi. Drilling activities are ongoing, with another significant discovery of 1-1.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of raw gas in place. This discovery follows the initial finding in a shallower zone of the same well, aggregating to a total gas in place of 2.5 - 3.5 TCF. The gas-bearing reservoirs were tested with excellent flow rates, and fast-track development options are currently under evaluation.

Refining in a strategic location

In July 2019 we finalised refining and trading agreements with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as part of a strategic partnership for us. In particular, we acquired a 20% stake in ADNOC Refining. The Downstream partnership also benefits from an advantageous geographical location to supply markets in Africa, Asia and Europe. ADNOC Refining is in fact active on the refining site located in the Ruwais area and has a total refining capacity that exceeds 900,000 barrels per day. The Ruwais complex is fourth in the world in terms of production capacity and guarantees a high level of conversion. The overall refining capacity held by Eni is 184 thousand barrels per day.

We create energy

We work every day to drive development in the Middle East. In the United Arab Emirates we recently launched the Ruwais refining project and the Ghasha  project for the exploration, production and development of hydrocarbons in the area. Through our business activities, socio-economic projects and commitment to reduce environmental impact in the country, we also contribute towards the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ghasha

In 2018, we were awarded a 25% stake in the Ghasha offshore concession, which includes the Hail, Ghasha, Dalma and other offshore fields. Hail, Ghasha and Dalma are located in the Al Dhafra region and will tap into the Arab basin, which is estimated to contain several trillion standard cubic feet of recoverable gas.

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Refining in Ruwais

In 2018 we started a new phase of growth in the refining sector with the acquisition of 20% of the refining assets of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), worth $3.3 bn. The acquisition of the refinery enables us to increase our refining capacity by around 35% and significantly improve our forward-looking profitability.

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Discover Ruwais