First Dolphin gas supplies flow through Oman pipeline link
Posted: 24 January 2004
GCC’s first-ever cross border transmission heralds regional
gas grid
Dolphin Energy Limited announced today that the company’s
first supplies of natural gas from Oman had been safely received
by pipeline at its control station in Al Ain — the first ever
cross-border gas transmission in the history of the GCC.
Over the next two days, Dolphin will transport the gas through
its recently completed, 24-inch,182-kilometer gas pipeline to a
new power and desalination plant in Fujairah.
The plant, owned by Union Water & Electricity Company (UWEC),
will henceforth receive some 135 million cubic feet of gas every
day from Dolphin — once the pipeline commissioning process
is complete. The gas will be the initial energy feedstock for UWEC’s
656 MW power station and 100 million gallons a day (mg/d) desalination
plant.
Dolphin Energy CEO, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, said today: “Dolphin
is now in business. This is a historic moment, since it marks our
first gas supplies to a customer, as well as the first gas transmission
across GCC national borders.
“Dolphin is proud to have contributed to this occasion, and
we are particularly grateful to the Oman Government for their encouragement
and support. We could not have undertaken this strategic energy
initiative without them.”
Saeed Al Mazrooei, Dolphin’s Deputy VP Projects, added: “The
Omani authorities and Oman Oil Company (OOC) have helped us at every
turn — to ensure that we received our gas on time, of the
right quality and at the right place. We look forward to a long
working relationship.”
Last year, on February 6, 2003, Dolphin Energy signed a sales agreement
with OOC to provide it with gas for Fujairah for a term of between
3.5 and 5 years. On the following day, Dolphin signed a sales agreement
to supply UWEC for the same period.
Dolphin’s gas supplies from Oman to UWEC will subsequently
be replaced by Dolphin gas from Qatar. The border connection will
thereafter be used to supply Qatari gas to Oman, as and when required.
The benefits of the Dolphin pipeline for UWEC, and thus for the
UAE, are expected to be considerable. UWEC will supply badly-needed
water to the Northern Emirates, to Dhaid in Sharjah and to Sweihan
in Abu Dhabi – as well as providing up to 500 MW of power
to the Federal Water & Electricity Authority (FEWA).
Dolphin Energy Limited
Dolphin Energy Limited was created to develop substantial
energy projects throughout the GCC. Its objective is to create long-term
economic wealth and new business opportunities for GCC citizens,
far into the future.
Dolphin Energy’s major strategic initiative, the Dolphin
Project, involves the production and processing of natural gas from
Qatar’s North Field, and transportation of the dry gas by
pipeline to the UAE, beginning in 2006.
Dolphin Energy’s first energy initiative came on stream in
1st Quarter 2004.This pipeline will supply a new power and desalination
plant on the UAE’s East Coast – initially with natural
gas from Oman, and subsequently with Dolphin gas from Qatar.
Dolphin Energy is owned 51 percent by Mubadala Investment Company,
on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi – and 24.5 percent
each by Total of France and Occidental Petroleum of the USA.
For more information see www.dolphinenergy.com.
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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