Abu Dhabi has targeted crude production of 3.5 million barrels a day by 2018. It is now up to operators such as National Drilling Company to make that production boost a reality.
With nearly 100 billion barrels of oil in reserves, the UAE can rest assured that it will have access to a secure energy source for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, the development of hydrocarbon resources is an ongoing necessity.
The UAE is targeting an oil production boost of 800 000 bpd to 3.5 million bpd by 2018, the gauntlet has been thrown down for all companies involved in exploration and production in the country’s rich onshore and offshore fields.
If the UAE’s premier oil company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) can be considered the head of the country’s oil and gas industry, its subsidiary, the National Drilling Company (NDC) is surely the beating heart of its operations.
Established in 1972 by ministerial decree, Abu Dhabi’s National Drilling Company (NDC) is considered to be one of the largest drilling contractors in the Middle East, providing drilling, work-over and well maintenance services.
NDC was ADNOC’s first venture when it set up the ADNOC Group of Companies. Today NDC operates a fleet of 18 onshore drilling rigs and 10 offshore jack-up rigs along with a multi-purpose service vessel.
Having drilled over 4000 onshore and offshore wells to a total depth of over 21 million feet since beginning operations with its ND-01 land rig back in 1973, NDC has been on a rapid expansion drive with significant contract awards over the past 24 months.
In 2009 the company awarded a contract for the manufacturing of seven new land rigs, which are under construction, delivery of which starts this year.
In the third quarter of last year NDC also awarded a contract to Sharjah-based rig building specialist Lamprell to build two new offshore jack-up rigs each valued at $158.5 million with additional optional equipment orders valued at US$ 12.6 million per rig.
The rigs will be completely outfitted and equipped, LeTourneau designed, self-elevating mobile offshore drilling platforms of a Super 116E (Enhanced) class design with a rated drilling depth of 30 000 feet.
Construction work on the rigs is underway with delivery of the first rig scheduled for the second quarter of next year.
NDC also has options for Lamprell to build two further jack-up rigs, valued at $158.5 million per rig.
NDC has issued further tenders for the construction of additional rigs required by its other clients as well as for the upgrading of some of its existing rigs to meet the drilling requirements of operating companies such as Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Operations (ADCO), Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), and the Zakum Development Company (ZADCO).