Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor
LOS ANGELES, May 7 -- Abu Dhabi’s privately held Dolphin Energy has expanded its natural gas pipeline system in the United Arab Emirates after completing its 128-km, 48-in. Taweelah-Fujairah Pipeline (TFP).
"By completing this important milestone, Dolphin Energy demonstrated its commitment to support its customers,” said Ibrahim Ahmed Al Ansari, the firm’s general manager.
The new construction is the second of three milestones for the project, which has a further 116 km of pipelay scheduled for completion by this year’s third quarter. The complete line will extend 244 km.
The line “will help boost industrial development and economic growth in the east coast of our country,” said Ibrahim, who noted that the firm supplies 30% of the UAE’s energy requirements.
Dolphin’s customers include Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Co., Dubai Supply Authority, and Oman Oil Co., which have signed 25-year gas purchase and supply agreements.
The firm’s Dolphin Project involves the production and processing of gas from Qatar's North field, along with transport of the dry gas by an underwater export pipeline to the UAE from Qatar.
Last November, it was reported that Abu Dhabi currently imports 740 MMscfd of gas from Qatar via the Dolphin line and likely would buy more if the Qatari gas moratorium were lifted, according to FACTS Global Energy, which said the Dolphin line has extra capacity of 1.2 bscfd.
"If the Qatari gas moratorium is lifted, the UAE would be an easy source of incremental exports if the price is right. Given that Abu Dhabi is developing high-cost domestic gas and considering using oil for power generation, there is likely an increasing willingness to pay higher gas prices,” FGE said (OGJ Online, Nov. 16, 2009).
Dolphin is owned 51% by Mubadala Development Co. on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi and 24.5% each by Total SA and Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].