ADNOC’s Hail and Ghasha project is an endeavour to exploit two ultra-sour offshore gasfields in the UAE’s Ghasha concession with net zero carbon dioxide emissions. It aims to produce 42.5 mcm (1.5 bcf) per day of natural gas by 2030 while capturing about 1.5 million tonnes per year (tpy) of carbon dioxide.
Spearheaded by ADNOC with Italian major Eni and Thailand’s PTTEP as partners, Hail and Ghasha is a key element of the UAE’s strategy to achieve gas self-sufficiency, as the country strives to ensure a stable supply of fuel for domestic power generation and potentially become an exporter of natural gas.
LOCATION: The project is located in the Ghasha offshore concession, which is situated in shallow waters offshore Abu Dhabi and encompasses the Hail, Ghasha and Dalma gas and condensate fields.
TECHNOLOGIES: Hail and Ghasha’s drilling and production facilities stand on artificial islands, and gas will be extracted through a 100% unmanned process where offshore facilities are operated from a central control centre at an onshore processing plant in Al Manayif. Operations will rely heavily on sensors, drones and inspection robots. Rotating equipment will be monitored with artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance, while digital twin technology will be used to capture and analyse operational data to maximise the operational efficiency of wells.
“Significant sequestration capabilities are embedded into the project’s design,” points out Diego Portoghese, managing director of Eni Abu Dhabi, Eni Sharjah and Eni RAK. Linde’s HISORP technology, an electrically-driven solution that can be powered entirely with renewable energy. Using a combination of pressure swing absorption and cryogenic separation it can capture up to 99% of generated carbon dioxide.
TIMELINE: The project began as a greenfield development and involved the drilling of development wells and the construction of offshore and onshore processing and transportation infrastructure. The first FEED contract was awarded to Bechtel in 2018 and EPC tendering began in 2023. ADNOC reached a FID on the project in October 2023, awarding EPC packaged to NMDC, Saipem and Tecnimont. First steel was cut for the subsea structures in September 2024, and in October Linde was selected to provide the carbon capture technology and core units. Operations are expected to commence in 2028.
KEY PLAYERS: ADNOC holds a 70% stake in the Ghasha concession and is the operator of the project. Eni and PTTEP each hold 10% stakes, and Austrian energy company OMV and Russia’s Lukoil each hold 5%.
NMDC Energy was awarded the dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction contract for the artificial islands and marine causeways, while the main EPC packages were awarded to NMDC and Italian engineering companies Saipem and Tecnimont, which selected Linde as the provider of the carbon capture technology.
INVESTMENT: ADNOC has awarded approximately USD 17 billion in EPC contracts for the project.
BENEFITS: In addition to capturing carbon dioxide emissions, the Hail and Ghasha project will reduce its carbon footprint by sourcing power from onshore nuclear and renewables plants connected to the national grid, and by producing low-carbon hydrogen to replace natural gas as a fuel for its installations. “The project has been designed since the beginning with a very close eye on emission profiles,” notes Portoghese.
The project’s artificial islands reduce the need for dredging and allow greater flexibility in drilling, which will reduce the number of necessary wells. Because the fields are located within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, the islands are also intended to serve as habitats for marine life.
ADNOC estimates that up to 60% of the investments commanded by the project will flow back into the UAE economy through the country’s In-Country Value programme. During construction, the project will employ up to 1,500 staff and provide work for up to 40,000 external contractors.