| Client | Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) |
| Project | Abu Al Bukhoosh (ABK) Utilisation Study |
| Sector | Energy, Chemicals & Resources |
| Services | Asset Late Life Opportunities |
| Location | Arabian Gulf |
Objective
Following expiry of Total’s operating license and subsequent return of operatorship to ADNOC of the Abu Al Bukhoosh (ABK) asset io was engaged to undertake an FEL1 study to assess options to unlock residual value from the existing infrastructure. The objective was to evaluate the technical and commercial feasibility of tying back nearby third-party developments, helping ADNOC maximise value from use of ABK while ensuring alignment with long-term operational and economic goals, including asset life extension / deferral of decommissioning.
Project Scope
The study focused on screening and assessing seven potential tie-back candidates:
- Nasr Oil
- Yaser Oil
- Bu Dana / ADNOC 1B / ADNOC 1C
- Mandous Oil
- US – Uweinat Gas
- US – Khuff Gas
- Nasr Khuff Gas
The evaluation included fluid compatibility, brownfield modifications, flow assurance, and economic modelling. io applied a structured decision-making framework to prioritise opportunities based on feasibility, risk, and strategic and economic value.
Findings & Recommendations
Findings
- Tie-back Feasibility
- Several fields require minimal brownfield modifications, offering near-term value through rapid integration.
- Others face more significant challenges, including pressure mismatch, complex fluid compositions, and infrastructure constraints, that limit near-term viability.
- Operational Risks & Considerations
- ABK’s produced water handling capacity emerged as a key constraint, particularly for high water-cut fields.
- Elevated H₂S and CO₂ levels in some gas developments introduce materials compatibility and processing risks.
- Flow assurance challenges such as slugging and hydrate formation necessitate proactive design and operational mitigation strategies.
- Economic Viability
- One oil field found to present a strong low-cost tie-back opportunity, delivering immediate production uplift with minimal investment.
- A second, more remote oil-field showed positive development potential, warranting future phased appraisal.
- Some nearby gas-fields offer attractive initial rates, though short plateau durations limit long-term returns.
Recommendations
- Prioritise one oilfield tie-back as a quick-win, low-risk opportunity.
- Progress detailed engineering for nearby gas-fields, incorporating mitigation strategies for corrosion and flow assurance risks.
- Monitor remote oilfield for potential phased development aligned with further appraisal drilling.
- Reassess other oilfield feasibility pending updated subsurface data and improved water handling solutions.
- Develop a phased approach for gas tiebacks to reduce uncertainty around H₂S and condensate management.
io Value Add
io played a pivotal role in framing ADNOC’s decision-making pathway for ABK’s late-life utilisation:
- Strategic Prioritisation: Applied io’s decision-quality framework to compare tie-back options across technical, operational, and economic criteria — enabling ADNOC to move forward with confidence.
- Technical Depth: Delivered rigorous techno-economic analysis underpinned by brownfield integration knowledge, flow assurance modelling, and subsurface alignment.
- Stakeholder Alignment: Facilitated collaborative workshops across ADNOC’s technical, commercial, and operational teams, helping define joint risk mitigation strategies and consensus on prioritisation.
- Asset Optimisation: Identified infrastructure synergies to maximise ABK’s throughput potential while avoiding over-investment in capacity expansion.
Through this integrated assessment, io has enabled ADNOC to take a proactive, value-driven approach to defining ABK’s next chapter. The roadmap delivered balances short-term production gains with sustainable, risk-managed development, offering a strategy for ABK to continue to deliver value well into its late life. The next steps include detailed engineering and commercial structuring to advance the most promising tie-backs.
