ABU DHABI, June 6th, 2013 -- The UAE has emerged as the largest operations base for Total of France in the Middle East, as the company is set to mark 75 years of presence in the country, coinciding with the upcoming renewal of their ADCO concession next year.
Total, one of the world?s largest oil firms, said it is involved in eight hydrocarbon ventures in the UAE, with a 2012 equity production of 248,000 boe-day. In a press release issued today, Total gave more details of its partnerships in the region. "We are most active in the UAE, where we are present in E&P, LNG, petrochemicals and solar power," the company said in papers presented at a recent seminar in Paris. "We have been active in the UAE since 1939... our 75th anniversary coincides with the renewal of the ADCO licence in 2014. We are partners in eight ventures, including the offshore oil and gas development Total Abu Al Bukhoosh where we produce 0.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day on behalf of ADNOC and 10,000 b/d of crude; we have a 75% shareholding and are the field operator working with INPEX of Japan," it said. It is also one of the partners in GASCO, a venture extracting added value from Abu Dhabi?s condensates production, noting that its relationship with GASCO was extended for 30 years three years ago. It said other flagship projects in the UAE include Dolphin Energy; the Taweelah electricity and desalinated water plant; the fertiliser production complex Fertil; and the recently inaugurated Shams 1, the largest CSP (concentrated solar power) plant in operation in the world. Total said it remained strongly committed to health, safety and the environment, noting that it works to assess and minimise risks, to mitigate incidents when they occur. "The Middle East is one of six global regions in the Total portfolio and our E&P operations in the region have 1,500 employees. When we talk of the Middle East, we refer to the Gulf states, plus Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Iraq and Syria."Total?s average Middle East production is around 550,000 b/d in 2013, or 25% of the company?s total global production.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2013.
