LNG

Kent, the privately-owned international integrated energy services company headquartered in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, has won a natural gas pipeline project contract to improve energy security for some of the smaller of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.

The Kent group, which is backed by private equity firm Bluewater, was named as the project management consultant (PMC) for the new pipeline in the northern UAE to supply RAKGAS.

RAKGAS is a state-owned energy business set up in 1984 in Ras Al Khaimah, transitioning from a gas company to a diverse energy provider.

Ras Al Khaimah is the largest city and capital of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

It is the sixth-largest city in the UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Ajman.

Pipeline route

The pipeline will stretch from the Taweelah-Fujairah Gas Pipeline to Ras Al Khaimah with a connection to the Sajaa gas storage in the Sharjah emirate.   

The Taweelah-Fujairah link is an existing natural gas pipeline running for 244 kilometres (152 miles) in length from Taweelah in Abu Dhabi to Al Fujairah.

Kent will be responsible for coordinating efforts between RAKGAS and the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study contractor, ensuring that the project’s progression remains on target and aligned with its planned objectives.

“Collaborating with Kent on this project is a testament to our vision for energy supply in the region,” said RAKGAS Chief Executive Chris Wood.

“Their expertise and experience in the UAE will steer this project to success, ensuring we deliver on our commitments for energy security in Ras Al Khaimah,” Woods stated.

Partnership

Tush Doshi, Chief Operating Officer at Kent, said he was proud to partner with RAKGAS on this project.

“It will allow us to bring our world-class PMC delivery expertise to the Northern Emirates,” Doshi explained.

“We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with RAKGAS, as we ensure a continuous and seamless execution across leading energy projects in the region,” said the Kent COO.

Both Kent and RAKGAS added that they had adopted a “proactive approach” to addressing the region’s energy needs.

The Kent group is growing as a Middle East player. It gained some engineering traction in July 2021 when it completed the acquisition of the majority of the oil and gas division of Montreal, Canada-based engineers SNC-Lavalin.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the oil and gas company and LNG producer in the United Arab Emirates, has awarded three framework agreements valued at 14.68 billion UAE dinars ($4 billion) for integrated drilling services to support the ongoing expansion of its oil and natural gas production activities.

African Energy Week 2021 is scheduled to take place in Cape Town from November 9-12 and will unite African Energy Ministers, oil and gas executives as well as national and international companies for four days of discussions and presentations.

The four-day event is taking place at the V&A Waterfront in the South African coastal city.

As the premier oil and gas event and the first sub-Saharan energy conference to take place on the continent in 2021, AEW 2021 is expected to provide the most suitable platform for a collaborative discussion on Africa’s energy future.

The theme of the Cape Town conference is “Making Energy Poverty History by 2030” and it will be hosted by South African Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe, who will be one of the key speakers.

“AEW is a major exhibition and networking event of the African Energy Chamber (AEC) that seeks to unite African energy stakeholders and drive industry growth and development,” said the AEC.

“The event promotes Africa and its energy future with a four-day, high-level conference comprising networking sessions, innovative exhibitions, one-on-one private meetings and much more,” added the AEC.

Attendees

African ministers likely to attend AEW include those from leading LNG producers and countries with LNG projects, including Chief Timipre Sylva, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum, Diamantino Azevedo, Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Petroleum, Gabriel Obiang Lima, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons and Aissattu Sophie Gladima, the Minister of Petroleum and Energy for Senegal.

Other ministers in the line-up include Jaden Ali Obaid from Sudan, Alhaji Sesay of Sierra Leone, Ruth Nankabirwa from Uganda, Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons for the Republic of Congo, and Tom Alweendo, Minister of Mines and Energy for Namibia.

After attending AEW 2021 in Cape Town, the ministers will likely head for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. hosted ADIPEC forum in the United Arab Emirates, taking place from November 15-18.

ADIPEC will provide another platform for the discussion of Africa’s energy landscape, with a dedicated “Focus on Africa” session, led by African energy ministers and offering up key insight into Africa’s post-Covid-19 pandemic energy outlook.

“The UAE and Africa have a long history of successful relations across the entire energy sector value chain,” said Equatorial Guinea’s Gabriel Obiang.

“Through the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, as well as with regard to the African energy transition, the UAE has emerged as a valuable partner for the continent, working closely with African countries to help develop both their economies and energy sectors,” stated the Minister.