UAE upstream standing still
To judge from the slow progress of the Adco concession renewals, the UAE is in no real hurry to expand its upstream
STATE oil company Adnoc got a new boss in March and the government has shuffled personnel in the senior oil and gas decision-making body, Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council. The organisational changes, together with the long-delayed onshore concession renewal process, have blunted efforts to boost upstream activity this year. A clutch of key projects are nonetheless seeing progress, with natural gas a priority for the feedstock-hungry Emiratis. Oil, though, remains the mainstay. Adnoc is targeting a long-term increase in crude production capacity from 3m barrels a day to 3.5m b/d by 2017-18. One of the biggest contributors to this target is the offshore Upper Zakum field, where Zakum Develo
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
