The United Arab Emirates has completed "major expansions" of its oil and gas program, and more projects are under way.
The projects undertaken in 1994 included drilling wildcats and development wells and stepping up water and gas injection, said a report by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc).
They included increased use of horizontal drilling methods.
"The emphasis during 1994 continued to be maintenance, upgrading, and modernization of oil production and water injection facilities," the company said in its annual report for 1994.
Operations onshore and offshore allowed Adnoc to achieve all crude oil production and export targets. The company controls UAE's energy sector 60-40 with foreign partners.
Drilling accounted for 446,000 ft of hole onshore and 374,000 ft offshore in 66 total wells, including 17 horizontal holes.
UAE's current production is 2.16 million b/d. It is the fourth largest oil producer -- after Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela -- among members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Adnoc executives said development plans aim to increase UAE's crude oil productive capacity from about 2.3 million b/d in 1990 to nearly 2.6 million b/d at the end of 1995 and 3 million b/d after 2000.
Oil development
Adnoc said it boosted productive capacity in Bab field to about 350,000 b/d, "making it one of the biggest offshore fields in the world." Another offshore field, Shah, was being developed to produce about 63,000 b/d when commissioned late in 1996.
Other development programs covered Northeast Abu Dhabi's Rumaitha, Shanayel, and Al-Dabbiya oil fields. Work also was under way to hike production in Sahil oil field to 55,000 b/d in 1997 and 75,000 b/d in 2004.
Further development studies were being carried out in Lower Zakum field.
In Upper Zakum field, programs to upgrade power generation, gas-oil separation, and water injection facilities were continuing at year-end.
UAE has spent an average $1 billion/year on oil expansion since 1990, and billions of dollars are to be pumped into such programs in coming years. Most of the projects were carried out by the two main operating firms, ADCO and ADMA-OPCO, which are shared with Japanese and western partners.
Gas projects
UAE gas development saw a major onshore project progressing on schedule, Adnoc said.
Scheduled for completion by yearend 1995, the project will triple capacity of the Habshan gas processing plant to 1.865 bcfd, while condensate recovery will increase to 130,000 b/d and natural gas liquids to 5,900 metric tons/day.
Umm Shaif productive capacity increased by 650 MMcfd net to UAE's interest after completion of a program at its Das gas liquefaction plant to double capacity to 5 million metric tons/year.
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