A joint venture (JV) led by Technip Energies has received a limited notice to proceed early engineering, procurement, and construction work from ADNOC for the Ruwais liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The final investment decision for the project is expected later this year.

Technip Energies’ partners in the JV include Japan-based engineering company JGC and UAE’s National Petroleum Construction.

The Ruwais LNG project, located in Al Ruwais Industrial City, is expected to become the first LNG export facility in the Middle East and North Africa region to operate on clean power.

Upon completion, the facility will house two LNG liquefaction trains, each with a capacity of 4.8 million tonnes per annum, equalling 9.6 million tonnes per annum.

This expansion will more than double ADNOC's current LNG production capacity from six million tonnes per annum to approximately 15 million tonnes per annum.

ADNOC downstream business management executive vice-president Fatema Al Nuaimi said: “The Ruwais LNG project will reinforce ADNOC’s position as a reliable global natural gas supplier, underscoring its pivotal role and contribution to global energy security.

“The project is set to significantly contribute to the Al Dhafra region’s economy by boosting the local industrial ecosystem, attracting further investments and creating a vital energy trade gateway in Al Ruwais Industrial City.”

In December 2023, ADNOC signed a 15-year heads of agreement with ENN LNG (Singapore), a fully owned subsidiary of ENN Natural Gas, for the supply of LNG from the Ruwais LNG project.

Before that, ADNOC awarded a contract worth more than $400m to Baker Hughes for the supply of all-electric compression systems powered by clean energy for the liquefaction of natural gas at the Ruwais LNG plant.