ADNOC and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have commenced production of crude oil from the Belbazem offshore block in the UAE.
The offshore block is operated by their joint venture, Al Yasat Petroleum. It is made up of the three fields, Belbazem, Umm Al Salsal, and Umm Al Dholou.
ADNOC upstream executive director Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy said: “The start of crude oil production from the Belbazem offshore block is testament to the success of our strategic partnership with CNPC and the robust bilateral energy relationship between the UAE and China.
“ADNOC continues to maximise value from Abu Dhabi’s resources, while reducing our carbon footprint to ensure a secure, reliable, and responsible supply of energy to customers locally and internationally.”
According to ADNOC, the Belbazem offshore block’s production capacity is expected to be ramped up gradually to 45,000 barrels per day (bpd) of light crude alongside 27 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of associated gas.
The block will thus help ADNOC in attaining its target of five million bpd by 2027 while bringing gas self-sufficiency for the UAE.
Situated 120km northwest of Abu Dhabi city, the Belbazem block is exploiting operational synergies by using the facilities of the Satah Al Razboot (SARB) offshore field, which is operated by ADNOC Offshore. This will lead to cost savings as well as reduced impact on the environment, said ADNOC.
The block is using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called WellInsight from AIQ for analysing reservoir data apart from managing operations for improved safety and performance.
ADNOC said that the block will also incorporate advanced technologies, which are already in use at the Al Yasat’s Bu Haseer offshore field. This will help with production optimisation and management of the reservoir, said the company.
In 2021, ADNOC awarded a contract worth AED2.73bn ($740m) to the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) for the full field development of Belbazem. The UAE-based NPCC handled the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the offshore facilities of the project under the contract.
