ADNOC and Pertamina Cooperate in Oil, Gas Development Projects

FILE PHOTO: An Emirati man is seen near the logo of ADNOC in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates May 14, 2018. Picture taken May 14, 2018.REUTERS/Christopher Pike
FILE PHOTO: An Emirati man is seen near the logo of ADNOC in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates May 14, 2018. Picture taken May 14, 2018.REUTERS/Christopher Pike
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ADNOC and Pertamina Cooperate in Oil, Gas Development Projects

FILE PHOTO: An Emirati man is seen near the logo of ADNOC in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates May 14, 2018. Picture taken May 14, 2018.REUTERS/Christopher Pike
FILE PHOTO: An Emirati man is seen near the logo of ADNOC in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates May 14, 2018. Picture taken May 14, 2018.REUTERS/Christopher Pike

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, has signed a Comprehensive Strategic Framework, CSF, with Indonesia’s energy company, PT Pertamina, Persero, to explore opportunities for collaboration across the oil and gas value chain in the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and globally.

As part of the CSF, ADNOC and Pertamina will evaluate collaboration opportunities across the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. The scope of projects under consideration includes participation in the UAE’s upstream oil and gas sector, as well as refining and petrochemicals, LNG, LPG, aviation fuel and fuel retail opportunities in Indonesia.

In addition, the two partners will explore other forms of strategic collaboration with respect to opportunities across transportation, trading and storage in the UAE, Indonesia and globally.

The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Force and Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, and Nicke Widyawati, President Director and CEO of Pertamina signed the agreement.

Pertamina is the state-owned energy company of Indonesia. The company operates an integrated business in the energy sector in Indonesia and is expanding its overseas presence. The company produces and distributes energy products such as fuel, lubricants, LPG, LNG, and petrochemicals. Currently, Pertamina owns six oil refineries in Indonesia with a combined production capacity of 1.1 million barrels of oil per day (mmbpd). At the same time, the company is developing renewable energy from many potential resources in the country.

Al Jaber said, "Indonesia has a thriving industrial base and is a rapidly growing market for energy. We see significant opportunity for collaboration between our two companies and the development of projects that meet our joint strategic objectives."

He added, "This collaboration with Pertamina further demonstrates ADNOC’s drive to unlock value from across our entire portfolio and our ambition to expand our international investments to become a truly global energy company."

Nicke Widyawati said, "Pertamina plans to develop an additional 1 mmbpd of refining capacity through the Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) and Grass Root Refineries (GRR) projects. Therefore, partnership with ADNOC will be an important milestone for Pertamina to secure energy supplies from overseas. ADNOC’s interest to participate in Indonesia’s oil and gas landscape is monumental to support Pertamina in ensuring the availability and accessibility of energy for Indonesian people."

Working groups from each side will be meeting over the coming months to evaluate and shortlist key areas for strategic collaboration across both companies’ extensive asset and project portfolios. It is expected that specific collaboration options will be agreed for execution by the end of 2019.

This new partnership marks another step in ADNOC’s group-wide transformation and value creation program that addresses the evolving energy and petrochemicals landscape and ensures ADNOC remains a resilient and flexible company able to take full advantage of emerging market opportunities and trends. The Group’s transformation is driven by an expanded approach to strategic partnerships and co-investments as well as the more proactive management of ADNOC’s portfolio of businesses, assets and capital.

As for Pertamina, the collaboration supports its ambition to embark into the global energy arena and acts as a stepping stone to achieve greater competitiveness to compete with international energy players.



Stocks Drop, Oil Rises after Trump Iran Threat

Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he puts pressure on Iran. Hannah Tross / US NAVY/AFP
Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he puts pressure on Iran. Hannah Tross / US NAVY/AFP
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Stocks Drop, Oil Rises after Trump Iran Threat

Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he puts pressure on Iran. Hannah Tross / US NAVY/AFP
Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he puts pressure on Iran. Hannah Tross / US NAVY/AFP

Most Asia equities fell and oil prices rose on Friday after Donald Trump ratcheted up Middle East tensions by hinting at possible military strikes on Iran if it did not make a "meaningful deal" in nuclear talks.

The remarks fanned geopolitical concerns and cast a pall over a tentative rebound in markets following an AI-fueled sell-off this month.

Traders are also looking ahead to the release of US data later in the day that will provide a fresh snapshot of the world's top economy, said AFP.

A slew of forecast-beating figures over the past few days have lifted optimism about the outlook but tempered expectations for more interest rate cuts.

The US president told the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace", his initiative to secure stability in Gaza, that Tehran should make a deal.

"It's proven to be over the years not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen," he said, as he deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the region.

He warned that Washington "may have to take it a step further" without any agreement, adding: "You're going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier warned: "If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine."

The threats come days after the United States and Iran held a second round of Omani-mediated talks in Geneva as Washington looks to prevent the country from getting a nuclear bomb, which Tehran says it is not pursuing.

The prospect of a conflict in the crude-rich Middle East has sent oil prices surging this week, and they extended the gains Friday to sit at their highest levels since June.

Equity traders were also spooked.

Hong Kong fell as it reopened from a three-day break, while Tokyo, Sydney, Wellington and Bangkok were also down. However, Seoul continued to rally to a fresh record thanks to more tech buying, with Singapore, Manila and Mumbai also up.

City Index market analyst Matt Simpson said a strike was not certain.

"At its core, this looks like pressure and leverage rather than a prelude to invasion," he wrote.

"The US is pairing military readiness with stalled nuclear negotiations, signaling it has credible strike options if talks fail. That doesn't automatically translate into boots on the ground or a regime-change campaign.

"While military assets dominate headlines, diplomacy is still in motion. The fact talks are continuing at all suggests both sides are still probing for a diplomatic off-ramp before tensions harden further."

Shares in Jakarta slipped even after Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reached a trade deal after months of wrangling.

The accord sets a 19 percent tariff on Indonesian goods entering the United States. The Southeast Asian country had been threatened with a potential 32 percent levy before the pact.

Jakarta also agreed to $33 billion in purchases of US energy commodities, agricultural products and aviation-related goods, including Boeing aircraft.


Third ‘Mirkaz AlBalad AlAmeen Platform’ to Open in Makkah on Sunday 

A street in the holy city of Makkah is decorated with Ramadan lights. (SPA)
A street in the holy city of Makkah is decorated with Ramadan lights. (SPA)
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Third ‘Mirkaz AlBalad AlAmeen Platform’ to Open in Makkah on Sunday 

A street in the holy city of Makkah is decorated with Ramadan lights. (SPA)
A street in the holy city of Makkah is decorated with Ramadan lights. (SPA)

The third edition of the “Mirkaz ABalad AlAmeen”, a leading platform for exchanging opportunities in Makkah, will kick off on Sunday, under the theme “Makkah Inspires the World.”

The platform, organized by the Holy Makkah Municipality, will feature 15 exceptional Ramadan evenings focused on dialogue, knowledge exchange, and cross-sector engagement.

Makkah Mayor Musad Aldaood said the platform redefines development from Makkah, where faith meets inspiration and values are transformed into a comprehensive civilizational experience.

He noted that the initiative reflects the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 and showcases Makkah to the world as a living model of creativity, leadership, and innovation.

The upcoming edition will host more than 65 speakers, including executive leaders and decision-makers from across all three sectors, alongside futurists, entrepreneurs, and leading voices in culture and inspiration from artists, writers, media professionals, and innovators.

The program targets 12 key sectors: technology and digital transformation, financial investment, communications and media, real estate development, transport and logistics, banking services, youth and sports, tourism and culture, hospitality and catering, Hajj and Umrah, the third sector, and healthcare.


Saudi Arabia’s Mawani Grants Unified License to Global Shipping Line 

The initiative is part of Mawani's ongoing efforts to develop the maritime business environment, enable international companies to invest in the Saudi market, and increase competitiveness within the maritime sector. (Mawani)
The initiative is part of Mawani's ongoing efforts to develop the maritime business environment, enable international companies to invest in the Saudi market, and increase competitiveness within the maritime sector. (Mawani)
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Saudi Arabia’s Mawani Grants Unified License to Global Shipping Line 

The initiative is part of Mawani's ongoing efforts to develop the maritime business environment, enable international companies to invest in the Saudi market, and increase competitiveness within the maritime sector. (Mawani)
The initiative is part of Mawani's ongoing efforts to develop the maritime business environment, enable international companies to invest in the Saudi market, and increase competitiveness within the maritime sector. (Mawani)

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) granted on Thursday a unified license to international shipping line Global Shipping Line (PIL), officially recognizing it as an authorized foreign investor to operate maritime agencies in the Kingdom's ports, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The license is issued in accordance with the regulations outlined in the Maritime Agency Services, reflecting Mawani's commitment to boosting the efficiency of the maritime sector and improving the quality of operational services provided at ports.

It aims to attract global expertise and facilitate knowledge transfer within the Kingdom, aligning with international best practices in the maritime transport industry.

The initiative is part of Mawani's ongoing efforts to develop the maritime business environment, enable international companies to invest in the Saudi market, and increase competitiveness within the maritime sector.

PIL, which operates from its regional headquarters in Riyadh, manages operations in 29 countries.

The move strengthens the Kingdom's position as a crucial logistics hub, in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, while attracting more international shipping lines. It reinforces Saudi Arabia's role as a key link among three continents.