ADNOC Begins Partnership Talks for Offshore Oil Concession

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ADNOC Begins Partnership Talks for Offshore Oil Concession

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Abu Dhabi – State-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced on Monday it is in advanced discussions with more than a dozen potential partners who have expressed a significant interest in the offshore concession, currently operated by the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) that expires next March which dates back to 1953.

The current shareholders in Adma-Opco are BP with 14.67 per cent, Total with 13.33 per cent and Japan’s Jodco with 12 per cent. The Abu Dhabi Government, through Adnoc, has a 60 per cent holding and will retain it after the new concession.

The potential partners are a mix of existing concession holders in ADNOC’s offshore fields and new participants.
Recently, ADNOC unveiled the expansion of its strategic partnership model, as well as the active management of its portfolio of assets.

ADNOC’s new approach, which builds on its flexible and enhanced operating model as well as its 2030 growth strategy, will enable the company to unlock and maximize value from across the Group. It will deliver improved revenue streams and ensure smart growth, while also enhancing performance and securing greater access for ADNOC’s products in key growth markets.

ADNOC’s CEO Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber said in Monday's statement that the company was looking for partners to provide technology, expertise, long-term capital and market access, as well as operational efficiency and a willingness to invest in its different parts.

“As part of ADNOC’s new partnership approach, we look forward to working with partners who will bring new and innovative thinking to the table. Partners who can demonstrate tangible value-add to our operations through technology, expertise, long term capital and market access, as well as a shared commitment to drive operational performance and efficiency to deliver smart growth and strong financial returns. Our ideal partners should also be willing to invest across different parts of our value chain” Jaber added.

As ADNOC looks to boost oil production capacity to 3.5m bpd in 2018, offshore development is a strategic focus of the company. Current ADMA-OPCO concession produces around 700,000 barrels per day of oil and is projected to have a capacity of about one million bpd by 2021.

In its gas business, ADNOC will develop a variety of natural gas sources, including tapping into gas caps and undeveloped deep and sour gas reserves. ADNOC aims to stretch the margin of each refined barrel of oil and expand petrochemical production from 4.5 to 11.4 mtpa by 2025.



FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.