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UAE graduates join Adnoc’s Hail and Ghasha development

This is a world-first project aimed to operate with net zero CO2 emissions

A group of UAE graduates recently joined the talented workforce powering Adnoc’s Hail and Ghasha development, the world’s largest gas project of its kind, that is currently under construction. Their contributions will play a key role in the project’s development which reinforces Adnoc’s legacy of responsible energy production and supports its Net Zero by 2045 ambition and accelerated decarbonisation plan.

“As an Emirati engineer, I feel empowered to be part of the Hail & Ghasha project, which will give me the opportunity to give back to my country and honour its investment in my education,” said Eimen Abdulla Bakheet Taresh Almesafri, Industrial Engineer, one of over 20UAE graduates who recently started working on the groundbreaking Hail and Ghasha project.

This pioneering project aims to harness the potential of two gas fields, Hail and Ghasha and associated fields, playing a vital role in meeting the UAE’s gas self-sufficiency. The Ghasha Concession project is set to produce more than 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd) of gas by the end of the decade, enough to power the daily gas consumption needs of Portugal, Ireland and Greece combined, while boosting Adnoc’s international gas growth and export expansion plans, and fueling economic growth for the nation.

Fatima Alfarsi, offshore installation pipeline engineer, another one of the UAE graduates, added: “As fresh graduates, we are excited to be putting our education and skills towards the Hail and Ghasha project, one that will have a significant impact on the UAE.”

Aiming to operate with net zero carbon emissions, the project is a world-first for such large-scale gas developments, with its design combining innovative decarbonisation technologies into one integrated solution. By incorporating state-of-the-art capture technology, the project aims to capture and safely store 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, bringing Adnoc’s committed annual carbon capture capacity to almost 4mtpa. This is aligned with Adnoc’s ambition to double its carbon capture capacity target to 10 mtpa of CO2 by 2030, which is the equivalent of removing over 2 million gasoline-powered cars from public highways.

Working with project contractors, these young UAE nationals bring their diverse skills and fresh perspectives to the table. From engineering to data-driven insights, their contributions are key to the project’s development. With a significant amount of the project’s investment value flowing back into the UAE’s economy under Adnoc’s In-Country Value (ICV) program, the project will empower local businesses and generate jobs and opportunities for UAE nationals.

Fares Aljaberi, process engineer, a graduate working for UAE-based contractor NPCC, added: “As a UAE National, it makes me proud to have the trust and responsibility of our country’s leadership to play a role in the development of the Hail and Ghasha project.”

With the Ghasha field being located within the Unesco-recognised Marawah marine biosphere reserve, the project team prioritized biodiversity protection, building artificial islands, that eliminated the need for heavy dredging, and providing additional habitats for marine life.

With final investment decisions taken at the end of 2023, the Hail and Ghasha project is progressing on track, having now entered the phase. Mobilization has begun on both the offshore and onshore phase.

Though new to the project, Almesafri is already thinking ahead: “Everything we do today will impact future generations, which makes contributing to the Hail and Ghasha project an incredibly rewarding and meaningful endeavour.”