ADNOC expands 3D seismic survey with $519mn contract award
Contract is said to reinforce the firm’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of Abu Dhabi’s vast hydrocarbon resources
A $519m contract has been awarded by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to BGP. It expands the scope of the world’s largest combined 3D onshore and offshore seismic survey, which is now underway in Abu Dhabi.
BGP is a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), represented in the UAE by Al Masaood Oil Industry Supplies & Services Co. This new award brings the total area to be covered by the survey up to 85,000sqkm.
According to a statement, the expansion underscores the important role seismic surveying plays in enabling ADNOC to identify and explore new hydrocarbon resources, following recent major discoveries of recoverable unconventional oil resources and conventional oil reserves announced by Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC). The seismic survey also supported the discovery of conventional oil and gas reserves, and unconventional gas resources that were added to ADNOC’s portfolio in 2019.
“This award builds on the solid progress we are making in executing the world’s largest combined 3D seismic survey, which is an important part of our strategy to accelerate the exploration and development of Abu Dhabi’s hydrocarbon resources. It further demonstrates ADNOC’s commitment to realising the full potential of our conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources, to ensure the UAE remains a long-term and reliable energy provider to the world. The award follows a competitive tender process that ensures a significant portion of the value will flow back into the UAE’s economy, supporting local businesses in line with the leadership’s wise directives,” said Yaser Saeed Al Mazrouei, ADNOC Upstream executive director.
50% of the award value will flow back into the UAE’s economy under ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) programme, highlighting how ADNOC continues to prioritize ICV as it invests responsibly to deliver its 2030 strategy, the statement explained.
The contract increases the scope of the ongoing seismic mega survey to capture coastal areas, islands, and shallow water. It will utilise what’s billed as state-of-the-art technologies including cableless equipment and a wide range of environmentally friendly seismic sources. The survey will capture high-resolution 3D images of the complex subsurface structure at ultra-deep locations and help to pinpoint potential hydrocarbon reservoirs by deploying industry-leading technologies to provide high-density survey data which is analysed at ADNOC’s Thamama Subsurface Center.
