Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC to Acquire 30% Stake in Absheron Gas Field

The sun rises over the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. headquarters that dominates the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 7, 2016. (AP)
The sun rises over the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. headquarters that dominates the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 7, 2016. (AP)
TT

Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC to Acquire 30% Stake in Absheron Gas Field

The sun rises over the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. headquarters that dominates the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 7, 2016. (AP)
The sun rises over the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. headquarters that dominates the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 7, 2016. (AP)

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said on Friday it would acquire a 30% equity stake in the Absheron gas and condensate field in the Caspian Sea off the coast of Baku.

The agreement would see Azeri state oil company SOCAR and TotalEnergies each holding a 35% stake in the field.

TotalEnergies had announced first gas from Absheron in July. Prior to Friday's agreement, it held a 50% stake alongside SOCAR.

ADNOC's investment in Azerbaijan comes as part of a strategic plan to grow its international gas business.

The Abu Dhabi state oil giant in March offered, with BP, to jointly acquire 50% of Israeli offshore natural gas producer NewMed Energy for about $2 billion, marking their entry into Israel's growing energy sector.

ADNOC sharpened its focus on the gas market as competition for LNG has ramped up since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Europe in particular needing large amounts to help replace gas piped from Russia.

"With global gas demand expected to steadily increase over the coming decades, ADNOC will continue to responsibly meet the world's energy needs by developing and producing natural gas from world-class assets such as Absheron," Musabbeh Al Kaabi, executive director of low carbon solutions and international growth at ADNOC, was quoted as saying in a statement.



Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
TT

Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom are set to launch a direct route connecting Riyadh and London, following the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Air Connectivity Program and Virgin Atlantic.

The agreement, which was signed on Monday in Riyadh in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, aims to enhance air connectivity between the two kingdoms, facilitating access to various cities in Saudi Arabia. The route will operate daily between London Heathrow Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh starting in March 2025, using Airbus A330 aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic’s entry into the Saudi market marks the tenth airline to collaborate with the Air Connectivity Program since the beginning of 2024.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Majed Khan, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program said that the agreement will help bring visitors to and from Riyadh and other areas of Saudi Arabia, such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah as major cities, and then to the Red Sea, Jazan, and Al-Baha, supporting the national tourism strategy.

He further explained that Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights between London and Riyadh will support the growth of inbound international tourism from the UK and North America’s airline network.

As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Virgin Atlantic will enhance air connectivity alongside Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia Airlines, between Riyadh, London, and other destinations within the network.

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom is experiencing rapid growth driven by Vision 2030, noting that he looks forward to introducing UK customers to Saudi Arabia’s rich culture, heritage, and commercial hub.

Weiss noted that the new services will offer great opportunities for connecting friends, relatives, and businesses, not only within the UK but also in the US, thanks to the partnership with Delta Airlines.

He continued that the agreement will boost the codeshare with its SkyTeam partner, Saudia, further expanding connectivity across the region and beyond while offering new benefits to frequent customers.

Weiss also highlighted the positive impact this step will have in attracting more tourists to Saudi Arabia, which is developing its tourism industry.

Virgin Atlantic, which has a fleet of 45 wide-body aircraft, announced last month the purchase of seven additional Airbus aircraft.

The Air Connectivity Program aims to boost tourism growth in the Kingdom by enhancing connections between Saudi Arabia and the world, through the development of current and potential air routes.