ADNOC Invests $318 Million to Connect Smart Wells at BU Hasa Oilfield

The Bu Hasa asset is located 200 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi city. It is one of ADNOC’s oldest oil fields that have been producing since 1965. - WAM
The Bu Hasa asset is located 200 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi city. It is one of ADNOC’s oldest oil fields that have been producing since 1965. - WAM
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ADNOC Invests $318 Million to Connect Smart Wells at BU Hasa Oilfield

The Bu Hasa asset is located 200 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi city. It is one of ADNOC’s oldest oil fields that have been producing since 1965. - WAM
The Bu Hasa asset is located 200 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi city. It is one of ADNOC’s oldest oil fields that have been producing since 1965. - WAM

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced Tuesday the details of an investment worth to $318 million (AED1.16 billion) to connect newly drilled smart wells to the main production facilities at Bu Hasa, which will sustain production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) at ADNOC’s largest onshore asset.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract has been awarded in two packages by ADNOC’s subsidiary, ADNOC Onshore, state news agency WAM reported.

The first package is valued at up to $158.6 million (AED582 million) and has been awarded to China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd, while the second, with a value of up to $159.1 million (AED 583.9 million) - has been awarded to Robt Stone (ME) LLC.

The contracts's duration is up to three years, with the option of a two-year extension.

In this regard, Yaser Saeed Almazrouei, ADNOC Upstream Executive Director, said: "This EPC award demonstrates how ADNOC is leveraging advanced technologies, such as smart wells with state-of-the-art remote capabilities, to drive higher performance from our assets and resources, and to generate additional value."

"The award underpins our strategic objectives to expand production capacity and create a more profitable upstream business with over half of the contract value flowing back into the UAE’s economy, supporting local businesses and stimulating economic growth."

According to WAM, the EPC contract will see up to 260 conventional and non-conventional smart wells installed, which enable remote operations. The installed tie-ins will be different from traditional tie-ins previously used by ADNOC Onshore, as the contractors will procure all required equipment on an upfront basis allowing for faster construction and well hand-over.

In 2018, ADNOC awarded a contract for the Bu Hasa Integrated Field Development Project (BUIFDP) to increase the production capacity of the asset to 650,000 bpd and sustain long-term production as part of its strategy to expand its crude oil production capacity to 5 million bpd by 2030. This new award builds on the substantial progress made to date and will enable ADNOC Onshore to unlock greater value from the asset.



Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed firm winter fuel demand expectations against large US fuel inventories and macroeconomic concerns.

Brent crude futures were down 3 cents at $76.13 a barrel by 1003 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures dipped 10 cents to $73.22.

Both benchmarks fell more than 1% on Wednesday as a stronger dollar and a bigger than expected rise in US fuel stockpiles pressured prices.

"The oil market is still grappling with opposite forces - seasonal demand to support the bulls and macro data that supports a stronger US dollar in the medium term ... that can put a ceiling to prevent the bulls from advancing further," said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

JPMorgan analysts expect oil demand for January to expand by 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) year on year to 101.4 million bpd, primarily driven by increased use of heating fuels in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Global oil demand is expected to remain strong throughout January, fuelled by colder than normal winter conditions that are boosting heating fuel consumption, as well as an earlier onset of travel activities in China for the Lunar New Year holidays," the analysts said.

The market structure in Brent futures is also indicating that traders are becoming more concerned about supply tightening at the same time demand is increasing.

The premium of the front-month Brent contract over the six-month contract reached its widest since August on Wednesday. A widening of this backwardation, when futures for prompt delivery are higher than for later delivery, typically indicates that supply is declining or demand is increasing.

Nevertheless, official Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed rising gasoline and distillates stockpiles in the United States last week.

The dollar strengthened further on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20.

Looking ahead, WTI crude oil is expected to oscillate within a range of $67.55 to $77.95 into February as the market awaits more clarity on Trump's administration policies and fresh fiscal stimulus measures out of China, OANDA's Wong said.