ADNOC has taken a final investment decision (FID) on the ADNOC Ruwais Diyab gas development in Abu Dhabi. The UAE state energy company announced the decision at the ADIPEC conference on 2 November 2026. It is ADNOC’s first large-scale unconventional gas project.
The field will deliver 345 million standard cubic feet a day (mmscfd) of raw gas from 2029. Supply will run for 25 years. That is about 3.6 bcm a year on our conversion. Moreover, ADNOC said output could eventually reach up to 1 billion cubic feet a day (bcf/d), or about 10.3 bcm a year.
What the ADNOC Ruwais Diyab project involves
ADNOC will process the gas on site. New pipelines will then connect it to the UAE gas network. As a result, the extra supply will strengthen domestic availability and support ADNOC’s LNG export plans, the company said.
“Ruwais Diyab is ADNOC’s first large-scale unconventional gas development and this FID marks an important milestone in unlocking Abu Dhabi’s vast gas resources,” said Sultan Al Jaber, ADNOC managing director and group CEO.
In addition, ADNOC Onshore will deliver the project under a design-build-operate (DBO) model. Before the FID, ADNOC ran a programme of technical studies, field testing and subsurface analysis to cut development risk. It also plans to use AI-enabled drilling and completion technology.
Why gas self-sufficiency matters for the UAE
The UAE holds the world’s seventh-largest gas reserves, according to ADNOC. These include 298 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of conventional reserves and 160 tcf of unconventional resources. ADNOC says it is unlocking more of these resources to meet rising demand, including for industry and AI infrastructure.
The war in the Gulf has also raised the stakes. According to the IEA, LNG loadings from Qatar and the UAE fell by over 60 bcm in March to October 2026. Meanwhile, the IEA expects Middle East gas demand to fall by about 10% in 2026 after damage to local production and processing plants.
Domestic supply that does not depend on shipping lanes is therefore more valuable. Equally, more feed gas would help ADNOC Gas serve customers at home and abroad. For the security backdrop at this year’s conference, read our report on ExxonMobil and Chevron cancelling ADIPEC plans.
A platform for ADNOC Ruwais Diyab growth
ADNOC describes the project as the start of a scalable unconventional gas business. On our calculation, the 1 bcf/d potential is nearly three times the initial rate. World Oil noted that the company is drawing on US shale expertise to develop the resource.
For gas traders, the effect is long term. First gas in 2029 will not ease this winter’s LNG squeeze. Still, it adds gas that ADNOC can send to domestic users. In turn, that could free more LNG for export later this decade.
What to watch next
Next, watch for drilling and processing contract awards, which would show the pace of work. Also watch whether ADNOC links the extra gas to new LNG capacity, and whether it sets a target for wider unconventional output beyond Ruwais Diyab.
