The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has started production at the Shah sour gas project in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). The US$10bn project, operated by Al Hosn Gas Company (60% owned by ADNOC, 40% owned by Occidental), is producing 100 mcf/d (2.8 mcm/d) of gas; production will be ramped up to 600 mcf/d (17 mcm/d) in 2015. ADNOC's project aims to process about 1 bcf/d (10.3 bcm/year) of sour gas to produce about 500 mcm/d (5.15 bcm/year) of usable natural gas.
This project is part of Abu Dhabi's plans to boost hydrocarbon infrastructures, in order to raise oil output from 2.9 mb/d to 3.5 mb/d in 2017. Abu Dhabi is also planning to increase its LNG import capacity, thanks to the Emirates LNG storage and regasification terminal planned in Fujairah by 2020 (9 Mt/year). The United Arab Emirates also plan to expand the Dolphin Gas pipeline that imports gas from neighbouring Qatar, to reach its full import capacity.