Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC), today announced that its Moveyeid Gas Storage Surface Facility Project has awarded to Petrofac Facilities Management International Limited. The project comprises of new high pressure compressor facility, a high pressure pipeline and flow lines to 4 existing wells in Moveyeid Field. The contract value of Petrofac’s scope of work is $40 million. Additional project scope also includes drilling horizontal legs in existing wells and potentially drilling new wells in 2023.

A gas storage pilot test has been running since 2017 with the purpose to prove the concept of the project and to optimize the final project design. SNOC plans to implement the project in phases, with the surface facilities to be commissioned by end 2020 and drilling in 2023.

SNOC will also continue to evaluate the need for expanding the storage and delivery capacity of the project beyond 2023.

“Gas storage has been on the Sajaa Asset agenda since 2003. SNOC owns the ideal reservoir for such a project in terms of size, proximity to pipeline infrastructure, connectivity and composition. However, the historic chronic shortage of gas to provide the cushion gas prevented the Project from becoming a reality at that time,” said Hatem Al Mosa, CEO of SNOC. “The project will allow us to store excess gas in the winter to satisfy the summer peak demand. It will also provide a readily available strategic reserve to respond to unexpected operational or market issues where connectivity and proximity become most critical.”

Earlier this year, SNOC and its partner Eni, announced a successful new discovery of natural gas and condensate onshore in Sharjah. The discovery, named ‘Mahani’, comes within the first year of the partnership and represents the first onshore discovery of gas in the Emirate since the early 1980’s.

KeyFacts Energy: SNOC United Arab Emirates country profile