New compression plant could make Abu Dhabi a gas exporter

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) inaugurated its Taweelah Gas Compression Plant, ensuring uninterrupted gas supplies to major Abu Dhabi industries and the UAE’s Northern Emirates. The plant, located 50 kilometers north of Abu Dhabi, will utilize up to 450 mmscfd of sales gas, delivered to the facility by ADNOC Gas Processing’s recently installed Maqta-Taweelah pipeline.

In attendance at the inauguration were His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, and Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG, the main contractor for the project. Other attendees included H.E. Ernst Peter Fischer, Germany’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; Abu Dhabi government officials; members of ADNOC and Siemens’ management teams; and ADNOC customers.

The Taweelah Gas Compression Plant comprises three compression trains, each with a processing capacity of 225 mmscfd. At any one time, two of the compressor trains will be operational with the third on standby. Siemens received the order for the Taweelah Gas Compression Plant in 2016. The contract included establishing a complete onshore compressor plant, supplying three electric variable frequency drives, three Siemens’ Dresser-Rand DATUM compressors, an associated 33 kV electrical substation, 10 km 33kV cable corridor, 4km of pipelines for sales gas suction and discharge, control building, auxiliary equipment and systems, utilities, flare tower, safety and control systems as well as facility design, construction, and commissioning

“Siemens and ADNOC took the challenge to build the complete turnkey plant in record time, achieving gas-in in only 16 months from FEED to commercial operations,” said Paulo Ruiz Sternadt, CEO of Siemens’ Dresser-Rand business. “This is a remarkable achievement, highlighting our strong commitment to participating in ADNOC’s ambitious growth plans as a trusted technology partner.”

The inauguration of the Taweelah Gas Compression Plant comes less than a month after Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council approved ADNOC’s new integrated gas strategy, which will enable the UAE to achieve gas self-sufficiency, with the aim of potentially transitioning to a net gas exporter.