Adnoc and South Korean partners start commercial production from Haliba field

Output from the onshore field is expected to reach 40,000 bpd by the end of this year

South Korean deputy trade, industry and energy minister Il-pyo Hong, left with Dr Al Jaber. Courtesy Adnoc

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Korea National Oil Company (Knoc) started commercial production from the emirate's onshore Haliba oilfield, which they jointly operate, as the UAE firm looks to drive up output capacity to 4 million barrels per day by 2020.
Initial production from the field, which lies along the south-east border of Abu Dhabi and is operated by the joint venture entity Al Dhafra Petroleum, is expected to reach 40,000 bpd by the end of this year. Adnoc holds a 60 per cent stake in the joint venture, with the remainder controlled by South Korea's Knoc and GS Energy.

“First oil from Haliba demonstrates our ambition to unlock and maximise value from all of Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas resources to create long-term and sustainable returns for the UAE and our partners as we respond to the world’s growing demand for energy," said Adnoc group chief executive and UAE Minister of State Dr Sultan Al Jaber.

"Adnoc is committed to delivering a more profitable upstream business and expanding our oil production capacity, and the production from Haliba field is an integral part of achieving our targets," he added.

The UAE accounts for 4 per cent of global crude production, much of it from fields owned and operated by state-run Adnoc and its affiliates. Al Dhafrah Petroleum Company was established in 2014 to explore the Haliba oilfield concession area. The onshore field holds up to 1.1 billion barrels of oil, discovered following an extensive appraisal programme, which also found significant resource potential in three new fields - Al Humrah, Bu Tasah and Bu Nikhelah.

Production from the Haliba field will be increased using "modularised production units" that provide swift and innovative output capabilities, with the crude then transported for processing using trucks, the company said.

Al Dhafra Petroleum will explore an additional 70 prospects in the concession area, with the Haliba field serving as its main production hub.

Oil produced from the field will be transported to Adnoc Onshore's Asab central degassing station for processing, with the processed crude then transported through the subsidiary's main oil lines to marine export terminals, Adnoc added.