Advancing the localisation of critical oilfield technology in the UAE

The Make it in the Emirates Forum, designed to boost industrial development and accelerate the localisation of manufacturing, saw a plethora of agreements and partnerships signed to drive forward the localisation of critical oilfield technology and energy-related products and services

The event saw ADNOC partners across its supply chain commit to invest AED3bn (US$817mn) in manufacturing facilities across the UAE, in alignment with ADNOC’s current and future procurement requirements and the Make it in the Emirates initiative. They will create more than 3,500 highly skilled private sector jobs and manufacture a wide range of industrial products including pressure vessels, pipe coatings and fasteners. The facilities include newly operational sites, major expansions and investment commitments.

The facilities have been enabled by commercial agreements ADNOC signed with the companies under its In-Country Value (ICV) program as it plans to locally manufacture AED90bn (US$24.5bn) worth of products in its procurement pipeline by 2030, contributing to the country’s industrial development ambitions and creating employment as well as enhancing the resilience of its supply chain.

They included a strategic partnership agreement with Tubacex, a global leader in advanced tubular solutions, which grants ADNOC perpetual and exclusive rights to utilise Tubacex’s Sentinel Prime premium tubular joint connection technology, which is used for completing oil and gas wells and is designed to handle extreme conditions such as deep-water wells and carbon capture.

Tubacex will establish a dedicated research and development (R&D) centre in Abu Dhabi, advancing the development of the country’s industrial base. The facility will act as a hub for advanced engineering and train highly skilled technicians in-country, contributing to the development of local talent.

Yaser Saeed Almazrouei, ADNOC executive director, People, Commercial and Corporate Support, said, “We welcome our partners’ commitment to advancing local manufacturing through their investments in these state-of-the-art facilities which will strengthen the UAE’s industrial base and create highly skilled private sector jobs. These investments reflect ADNOC’s ongoing drive to support the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiative and localise strategic industrial capabilities through our In-Country Value program.”

ADNOC announced the award of contracts valued at AED543mn (US$147.8mn) to nine of its suppliers for locally made industrial products to be used across its value chain. They included Al Ghaith Industries, Union Chlorine LLC, C1 Water Industries LLC, RAK CHEM Industries and EMOCHEM. The agreements were enabled by ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) program and span a diverse range of products including personal protective equipment (PPE), chemicals for drilling and production, valves, biodiesel and corrosion inhibitors. The agreements will strengthen the resilience of ADNOC’s supply chain, reduce reliance on imports and create more private sector jobs for Emiratis.

ADNOC Logistics and Services announced a proof-of-concept trial it has selected to assess the suitability of US-based REGENT’s electric seaglider for transporting personnel to and from offshore energy infrastructure. REGENT’s ‘Viceroy’ seaglider – a next-generation maritime craft – combines the speed of an aircraft with the convenience of a boat, offering high-speed, zero-emission transport. The proof-of-concept is the first phase in a potential multi-stage deployment that could see the technology incorporated more widely across ADNOC L&S’s offshore logistics operations.
REGENT will manufacture its electric seagliders in the UAE and will provide aftermarket services such as maintenance, boosting local manufacturing capabilities and strengthening the UAE’s industrial base. The proof-of-concept trial will also be managed by a UAE-based seaglider operator, delivering additional in-country value and positioning the UAE as a hub for advanced maritime innovation. The proof-of-concept trial aligns with ADNOC Group’s broader Net Zero by 2045 ambition.

NMDC Group, a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), and marine dredging signed a number of agreements and partnerships at the Forum, aligning with Make it in the Emirates ambitions to drive forward industrial growth. The company signed a collaboration agreement with Jiangsu Juxin Petroleum Steel Pipe, with the long-term aim to establish fabrication facilities in the UAE for metallic pipes to be primarily used in the dredging sector.

NMDC Energy signed an MoU with Al Gharbia, the Abu Dhabi based advanced pipeline manufacturer, to explore ways to accelerate pipe production in the UAE to meet local and regional demand. Al Gharbia is one of the most technologically advanced Longitudinally Submerged Arc Welded (LSAW) Pipe manufacturers in the world and one of the first large scale manufacturers to embrace industry 4.0.

While NMDC LTS, a business vertical of NMDC Group, announced the establishment of a Joint Venture with Chaoda to establish a facility in the UAE that will assemble, fabricate, and distribute valves to be used in the energy sector.