January 14, 2006 Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 14, 2006 – Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation Limited announced today that it has taken over responsibility for the Operations & Maintenance (O & M) of its Al Ain to Fujairah natural gas pipeline.
Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat) had previously managed
O & M for the two-year old pipeline from January 2004 to December 2005.
In a statement to mark the occasion, Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation CEO Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh said: “Our agreement with Emarat enabled Dolphin to appropriately prepare for the Operation & Maintenance Systems and Procedures and for taking over full responsibility for the pipeline system. We thank Emarat management for the work they have discharged during the past two years.
“The time has now come for Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation itself to manage this pipeline – just as we shall ourselves manage the more substantial offshore sealines and our main Export Pipeline from Qatar, when completed later this year.”
Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation ’s 24-inch, 182-kilometer long Al Ain to Fujairah pipeline was commissioned in January 2004. It currently transports Dolphin natural gas, sourced from Oman, to the Union Water and Electricity (UWEC) power and desalination plant on the UAE East Coast.
Long-term ADOC supplies from Qatar’s offshore North Field will become available for Fujairah in early 2007, as well as for Oman in 2008.
Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation ’s major strategic initiative, the Dolphin Project, involves the production and processing of natural gas from Qatar – and transportation of the dry gas by pipeline to the UAE, from year-end 2006.