UAE energy giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has approved investing in the Ruwais Diyab unconventional gas development in Abu Dhabi, targeting initial production of 345 million standard cubic feet per day of gas (mmcf/d) of raw gas from 2029, the company said on November 2.

The project is designed to deliver gas over a 25-year period, with the potential to increase output to one billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d), according to ADNOC.

New pipeline infrastructure will connect the development to the UAE’s gas network, supporting domestic supply, industrial growth and ADNOC’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export ambitions.

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said the investment marked a milestone in developing Abu Dhabi’s gas resources and strengthening the country’s energy security.

The development will use advanced subsurface analysis and AI-enabled drilling and well-completion technologies under a design-build-operate model led by ADNOC Onshore.

The company said the approach was designed to reduce development risks and establish a scalable business for producing unconventional gas.

ADNOC is developing the UAE’s unconventional gas resources to strengthen domestic supply and reduce reliance on imports. Its unconventional gas programme uses advanced drilling and hydraulic fracturing to extract gas trapped in tight underground formations.