Innovative methods of exploration for oil and gas, the increasing use of mobile rigs, and the application of new technologies including sensors and artificial intelligence, have helped Adnoc Drilling to improve levels of efficiency, safety and sustainability as it supports the growth of Abu Dhabi’s energy sector.
Drilling infrastructure is the backbone of any oil company. Upstream operators around the world rely on huge structures of steel and metal to explore for, mine, and extract hydrocarbon resources buried deep under the earth's surface. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which started operations in 1971, has come a long way. The state-owned oil company is currently on track to expand its production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2030.
Adnoc operates in a new global landscape, where fossil fuels play a supportive role as countries prepare for an inevitable energy transition. The UAE accounts for 5.6 per cent of the world's proven oil reserves and 3.2 per cent of all gas, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2021. Adnoc owns and operates most of the UAE's oil and gas concessions in collaboration with foreign partners.
The UAE, Opec's third-largest producer has some of the lowest cost barrels of oil in the world. Adnoc, which is preparing to diversify its energy offerings in line with the UAE's planned commitments towards clean energy, is increasingly streamlining its drilling operations and generating environmental and cost efficiencies.
Supporting Adnoc’s growth
A key driver for the company's growth since 1972 has been its subsidiary, Adnoc Drilling, which operates the largest rig fleet in the region. Adnoc Drilling has an expansive fleet of 96 multipurpose onshore and offshore rigs. As Adnoc expanded its production capacity, its rig fleet also grew to 96 today from 29 in 2010.
In June, Adnoc Drilling drilled the longest well in the Middle East at a depth of 43,000 feet
The company operates around 10,000 wells, which stretch across an area of 19,960 square kilometres to date, to support oil and gas production onshore and offshore the UAE. The UAE's oil production averaged 3.6 million bpd in 2020, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2021. Production of gas, a fuel the UAE uses largely to generate electricity has also surged.
Adnoc is looking to tap newly-discovered reserves of gas and reach self-sufficiency in the fuel. Production of gas in the UAE reached 55.4 billion cubic metres last year. As the company looks to increase the capacity to produce crude as well as gas, it is employing new methods of drilling to achieve efficiency. Using enhanced and integrated operations, Adnoc Drilling reduced the time needed to move rigs between various operations by 25 per cent between 2017 and 2019.
Much of the efficiency has been generated by adopting horizontal and directional drilling to help drill more efficiently and also lower environmental footprint. In June, Adnoc Drilling drilled the longest such well in the Middle East at a depth of 43,000 feet. Drilling horizontally, the company can target and access soft layers of rock with greater efficiency and also generate better cost benefits compared to a conventional well. The regular vertical method of drilling in comparison causes greater logistical issues and results in less oil extraction.
Innovative drilling techniques
With horizontal drilling, the company can produce up to three times more oil and access a wider span of the reservoir in comparison with conventional methods.
We started drilling these [extended reach] wells - at the beginning it was very difficult because it took more than 100 to 130 days and now we've completed the longest well by 66 days
Hamad Al Junaibi,
Adnoc Drilling
"The normal conventional way, of drilling with a platform by a jacket rig was taking from 60 to 80 days. And we started drilling these [extended reach] wells - at the beginning it was very difficult because it took more than 100 to 130 days and now we've completed the longest well by 66 days," says Hamad Al Junaibi, senior vice president of operations - offshore at Adnoc Drilling.
The extended reach wells help the company avoid drilling in areas with significant environmental and ecological value. It allows the operator to drill under the area rather than drilling directly within those sensitive regions. Walking rigs, which move between assets without requiring additional infrastructure build are also a popular way to raise efficiency and lower costs. The company began employing such equipment manufactured by the Chinese Honghua Group from 2013 onwards.
The Asian company has manufactured 9 of the rigs which "walk" across equipment with two land rigs also deployed on artificial islands, where Adnoc drills for hydrocarbons. Adnoc has invested in significant generation of local manufacturing value through its drilling activities. The company has invested more than Dh7bn by building 9 jack-up and 8 land rigs in the UAE. The jack-up rigs were built in the northern emirate of Sharjah by Lamprell and entered Adnoc's service in 2011.
Adnoc has managed to save nearly $1 billion between 2016 and 2019 by generating 30 per cent reduction in well duration. The company's use of advanced technology, such as integrity sensors has also helped generate a 30 per cent reduction on logging time over the last two years. Adnoc Drilling also helped save $20 million by lowering well delivery time by shaving off 422 days of operation.
Presently, Adnoc is proceeding with significant work in drilling activities as it works to raise production capacity. In July, Adnoc awarded $763.7m (Dh2.8bn) worth of contracts to expand production from its offshore Upper Zakum and Satah Al Razboot (Sarb) fields as it aims to raise production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2030.
The company awarded the contracts for integrated rig-less services across six of its artificial islands to Schlumberger, Adnoc Drilling and Halliburton. While drilling for oil and gas offshore, the company uses artificial islands to help with the production of oil and gas offshore as they help lower costs and reduce environmental impact. It also allows the company to utilise lower-cost drilling rigs used on land instead of the more expensive offshore jack-up rigs.
Adnoc plans to grow its conventional drilling activity by 40 per cent by 2025 and substantially ramp up the number of its unconventional wells as part of its plans to increase capacity.
An emphasis on safety
Parallel to the growth in production across various assets, Adnoc is also navigating a global environment of increased scrutiny on the integrity and safety of oil and gas equipment. The recent explosion of an underwater pipeline operated by Pemex off the Gulf of Mexico has renewed concerns about the long-term safety of oil and gas infrastructure and the industry's impact on the environment.
"In general, we take good care of asset integrity. It costs us a bit, but we are putting the asset integrity and safety in real priority. When I do my operations meeting every Sunday, I usually I spend more than 50 per cent [of the time] in HSE [health safety and environment] as well as asset integrity," Mr Al Junaibi says.
The company is also increasingly adopting artificial intelligence in well maintenance. The technology helps to predict drill failure up to two hours ahead, thus significantly reducing potential loss of production time. Apart from ensuring safety, Adnoc is also striving to make sure that its upstream sector, which is traditionally the most carbon-emitting aspect of the oil and gas business, increasingly falls in line with its sustainability goals.
Adnoc is looking to lower its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 25 per cent over the next ten years
Adnoc is looking to lower its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 25 per cent over the next ten years. The company's plans to lower its carbon footprint is also increasingly factored into its drilling subsidiary's work, particularly in health, safety and environment.
Its HSE policy “states clearly that we care about people, we have to make sure that no harm to people no harm to the environment and to conserve energy," says Muneef Ibrahim Mohamed Salem, manager, HSE at Adnoc Drilling. "In order to reach that point, to reduce the greenhouse gases emitted to the environment, we managed to get these new engines on rigs to generate power with the best technology available on the market," he added.
The engines used by Adnoc use less fuel, and therefore emit comparably less greenhouse gases into the environment.
"We managed to reduce the CO2 emissions of around 130,000 tonnes over the last five years, due to these new engines that we've been using, which is equivalent to around 30,000 cars a year," says Mr Salem.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Griselda
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
The fake news generation
288,000 – the number of posts reported as hate speech that were deleted by Facebook globally each month in May and June this year
11% – the number of Americans who said they trusted the news they read on Snapchat as of June 2017, according to Statista. Over a quarter stated that they ‘rarely trusted’ the news they read on social media in general
31% - the number of young people in the US aged between 10 and 18 who said they had shared a news story online in the last six months that they later found out was wrong or inaccurate
63% - percentage of Arab nationals who said they get their news from social media every single day.
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
THE%20SPECS
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GOODBYE%20JULIA
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TOURNAMENT INFO
Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers
Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends
Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.
TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
