ADNOC today announced the signing of a 15-year Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Shell International Trading Middle East Limited FZE, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell), for the supply of up to 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The agreement, signed during ADIPEC 2025, represents ADNOC’s first long-term LNG sales contract with Shell and the eighth long-term offtake deal secured for the Ruwais LNG project. The first SPA for the project was announced at ADIPEC 2024.
This new SPA converts a previous Heads of Agreement into a definitive contract, marking a major milestone in ADNOC’s ongoing efforts to accelerate the commercialisation of the Ruwais LNG project. With this latest deal, more than 8 mtpa of the project’s planned 9.6 mtpa capacity has now been committed through long-term contracts with customers across Asia and Europe, just 16 months after the project’s Final Investment Decision (FID) in July 2024.
Fatema Al Nuaimi, CEO, ADNOC Gas, said, “This agreement with Shell marks a significant milestone that reinforces ADNOC’s position as a reliable global supplier of lower-carbon LNG. Securing over 80 percent of Ruwais LNG’s capacity in just over a year from FID is a remarkable achievement that sets a new benchmark for large-scale LNG projects globally. While the industry can take up to four or five years to market such volumes, Ruwais is advancing at record pace. In parallel, construction, contractor mobilisation, and site works are all on track for commissioning by the end of 2028.”
The LNG will be primarily supplied from the Ruwais LNG project, currently under development in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi. Shell holds a 10 percent stake in the project through its subsidiary, Shell Overseas Holdings Limited.
Tom Summers, Executive Vice President of Shell LNG Marketing and Trading, said, “Shell’s trusted partnership with ADNOC dates back more than 50 years and today we share a vision of strengthening global energy security through strategic collaboration. This agreement is a significant milestone in our partnership with ADNOC and supports Shell’s strategy of expanding our LNG portfolio.’’
The Ruwais LNG plant will be the first LNG export facility in the Middle East and Africa to operate on clean power, making it one of the lowest carbon-intensity LNG projects globally. The plant will also incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies to improve safety, operational efficiency, and emissions performance.
Featuring two liquefaction trains, each with a capacity of 4.8 mtpa, the Ruwais LNG facility will more than double ADNOC Gas’s current LNG production capacity to approximately 15 mtpa, supporting ADNOC’s strategy to expand its LNG portfolio and meet growing global energy demand.
(Inputs from WAM)
