ADNOC brings in international partners for the Bab Gas Cap project

Moscow, June 25 – Neftegaz.RU. ADNOC and partners have signed a concession agreement to develop the Bab Gas Cap project in Abu Dhabi. With this agreement, bp holds a 10% interest in the Bab Gas Cap concession, TotalEnergies – 10%, alongside ADNOC (60%), CNPC (8%), JODCO/INPEX (5%), ZhenHua (4%) and GS Energy (3%). The Bab Gas Cap concession is expected to produce up to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of gas.

This new concession, operated by ADNOC Onshore, will enable the partners to develop the large gas cap resources of the Bab onshore field. It builds on the 2015 renewal for 40 years of the Onshore oil concession (formerly ADCO).

The Bab Gas Cap project, the largest gas cap development of its kind globally, is made up of three reservoirs in the Bab Field – one of Abu Dhabi’s largest onshore oil fields – and involves the co-production of gas and condensate.

The Bab Cap Gas concession is expected to support UAE gas self-sufficiency and domestic feedstock production as well as ADNOC’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export expansion plans.

Facts about the Bab Gas Cap project

The Bab field, also known as Murban Bab, holds significant historical importance for the region’s oil and gas industry. Geological exploration began in 1950, and as early as 1960, Murban crude oil was discovered, becoming one of the region’s key export grades. It is not only the largest onshore oil field in Abu Dhabi but also the oldest operating field in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Bab is located approximately 160 km southwest of Abu Dhabi. It covers an area of approximately 1,200 km².

Oil from the field was first exported in December 1963. In 1990, water injection technology was introduced to maintain reservoir pressure, and by 2000, oil production at the field stood at 260 thousand barrels per day. By 2012, production at the field had increased to 350,000 barrels per day, and by the end of 2016, it had reached 420,000 barrels per day.

In November 2019, ADNOC announced investments to expand and maintain oil production at this mature asset at a level of 485,000 barrels per day starting in 2023.