Upper Zakum

Upper Zakum Offshore Oil Field Profile

Location and Reserves

The Upper Zakum oil field is located approximately 84 kilometers northwest of the Abu Dhabi islands in the United Arab Emirates. It is one of the world's largest oil fields, with estimated proven crude oil reserves of 50 billion barrels.

Ownership and Operation

The Upper Zakum oil field is owned by Zakum Development Company (ZADCO), a joint venture comprising Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) with a 60% stake, ExxonMobil with a 28% stake, and Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of INPEX, with a 12% stake. ADNOC acts as the operator of the field.

Discovery and Development History

The Upper Zakum oil field was discovered in 1963. ZADCO was formed in November 1977 to develop the field, with ADNOC initially holding an 88% interest and INPEX the remaining 12%. The field began production in 1982. ExxonMobil joined the development in 2006 by acquiring a 28% interest in ZADCO from ADNOC.

Production Capacity

• The field's production capacity was initially 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2006.
• Following the UZ750 Project, the capacity increased to 750,000 bpd by the end of 2017.
• The partners aim to further increase the production capacity to one million bpd by 2024 and sustain it until at least 2050.

Infrastructure and Technology

• Artificial Islands: The field features four oval-shaped artificial islands, including a central island and three satellite islands (north, west, and south). These islands were constructed between 2010 and 2014 and are designed to house processing facilities, wellhead controls, and other essential infrastructure. The central island measures 1,200 meters by 600 meters and is the largest.
• Extended-Reach Drilling: The development utilizes extended-reach drilling and maximum reservoir contact well technologies to increase oil recovery and reduce the number of wells needed. Some wells drilled from the islands are over 35,000 feet long.
• Subsea Infrastructure: The project involved laying 240 kilometers of subsea pipelines, 128 kilometers of subsea composite and fiber-optic cables, and the installation of various offshore structures such as jackets, riser platforms, and flare towers.

Construction Details

• The construction of the artificial islands required significant resources, including 23.5 million cubic meters of dredging, 14 million tonnes of rock, and 13.5 million cubic feet of concrete.
• The islands were protected using ACCROPODE™ II units, with each island having a falcon-shaped structure made from dredged material and artificial armouring.

Recent and Future Developments

• UZ750 Project: This $10 billion project increased the production capacity from 500,000 bpd to 750,000 bpd. It involved the development of offshore facilities, including the construction of artificial islands and the installation of various production modules.
• Future Expansion: In November 2017, the partners announced plans to increase production to one million bpd by 2024 with an investment of over $30 billion. Additionally, ADNOC announced in July 2021 an investment to deploy integrated rigless services across the Upper Zakum and Satah Al Razboot (SARB) fields, aiming to boost production capacity to five million bpd by 2030.
• Current Expansion Plans: Technical bids have been submitted for a major expansion as part of ADNOC’s P5 program, which includes de-bottlenecking existing gas handling facilities and expanding gas lift capabilities to achieve higher oil production targets. This project, valued at approximately $1 billion, aims to enhance and sustain the field’s output to 1.2 million bpd within the next two to three years and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2028.

Contractors and Service Providers

• National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) and TechnipFMC were involved in the first phase of the UZ750 project.
• Schlumberger, ADNOC Drilling, and Halliburton were awarded contracts for integrated rigless services in July 2021.
• National Marine Dredging Company was responsible for the construction of the artificial islands.
• Petrofac International Ltd, Target Engineering Construction Company, and Archirodon Construction have submitted bids for the current expansion project.

Environmental and Operational Efficiency

The development plan incorporates advanced technologies to increase recovery, minimize infrastructure needs, and reduce the environmental footprint. The use of artificial islands supports higher-capacity land-based drilling rigs and addresses inefficiencies in existing processing facilities and intra-field pipeline networks.

Accommodations and Facilities

The project includes accommodation facilities for approximately 2,150 to 2,500 personnel, along with supporting buildings and permanent utilities such as recreational areas, a mosque, and operations and drilling offices.