Offshore Technology

ADNOC to build energy industry’s “largest private 5G network”

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) state-owned oil company claims the network will help to streamline onshore and offshore operations.

ADNOC and global technology group e& are developing what they claim will be energy industry’s “largest private 5G wireless network", spanning 11,000km².

In a joint statement, the companies said the network will help deliver high bandwidth across ADNOC’s onshore and offshore operations.

The network will help ADNOC integrate its AI solutions at remote facilities and reduce costs through automation.

In the statement, ADNOC said it expects the project to be completed by 2025 and claims it will generate $1.5bn (Dh5.51bn) of value during its first five years of operation.

This project is a “milestone step in ADNOC’s journey to become the world’s most AI-enabled energy company”, said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC managing director and group CEO.

By investing in “cutting-edge connectivity across our operations, we can ensure that we continue providing secure, reliable and responsible energy to our customers”, he added.

The network will transmit information from sensors embedded in more than 12,000 wells and pipelines to autonomous control rooms to help make efficiency recommendations and increase the lifetime of the assets. The network will also be used to digitalise the wellheads.

H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, chairman of e&, said in the statement his organisation is “leveraging our expertise in network and AI innovations to drive breakthroughs in the energy sector”.

ADNOC is currently expan d ing its offshore capacity. Earlier this week, the drilling arm of the state-run company secured a $733m contract from ADNOC Offshore to supply three newbuild island rigs.

These rigs will support the expansion of operations at the offshore Zakum field, one of the world’s largest oilfields.

In March, ADNOC commissioned the Belbazem block offshore UAE, in what it called a significant step in its efforts to increase its oil production capacity.

Located around 120km north-west of Abu Dhabi city, the block comprises the Belbazem, Umm Al Salsal and Umm Al Dholou fields.

The block is expected to contribute to the UAE’s target of five million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and support the nation’s gas self-sufficiency.

e& is a UAE state-owned telecoms company and one of the largest mobile network operators in the world by number of subscribers.