An exclusive interview with Eng. Ahmed Al Dhaheri, CEO of
National Petroleum Construction Co, which ranked first on our ‘Top 25 EPC’ list.
The company has successfully secured multi-million EPC contracts while managing its backlog and consolidating margins.
Oil & Gas Middle East: Could you tell us more about your most recent projects and how you intend to maintain your momentum in EPC projects in the coming years?
Al Dhaheri: NPCC has a proven track record of delivering complex EPC projects, with a focus on quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. With many key projects currently in the pipeline, we are constantly working to enter and explore new markets to provide world-class services, solutions, and expertise to the EPC sector.
As we maintain our momentum, we have a backlog of projects worth $7 billion and a pipeline of onshore and offshore projects worth $22 billion in the bidding stages. It is also worth noting that half of our current projects are in the UAE with the other half covering markets in the MENA and South Asian region.
Among this year’s highlights is a significant contract from Saudi Aramco valued at $2.23 billion for construction work associated with the fourth and fifth Zuluf packages, where the fourth package CRPO 82 includes at least 12 oil-handling wellhead topsides, two oil tie-in platforms, and one electrical distribution platform, and the fifth package CRPO 83 includes up to 12 additional oil-handling wellhead topsides, two oil tie-in platforms, as well as infield pipelines and cables.
In addition, we were awarded a $946 million contract to develop ADNOC’s offshore Umm Shaif oilfield, a move that backs the company’s plans to boost production by 2030.
We also won a $548 million EPC contract from ADNOC Offshore to build a new main gas line at Lower Zakum field offshore, in a move that supports ADNOC’s plans to enable gas self-sufficiency for the UAE and cater to increasing global energy demand. The project, which is expected to be completed in 2025, will also see the construction of a new subsea pipeline that will run 85km from Zakum West Super Complex to Das Island and includes provisions to construct, install and test a new platform at the super complex as well as a new gas receiving facility at Das Island.
As we look to the future, we are working to upgrade practices to ensure NPCC is prepared to meet the requirements of the industry and secure greater market share.
Oil & Gas Middle East: With increasing focus on energy transition, how is NPCC shifting its focus on clean energy?
Al Dhaheri: We are committed to support energy transition and decarbonisation in line with the UAE’s strategy to take positive and effective climate change actions to ensure a decarbonized future.
Our recent joint venture with Technip Energies, NT ENERGIES, aims to support energy transition in the UAE, the region and North Africa by providing added value services in blue and green hydrogen and related decarbonisation projects, CO2 capture in addition to industrial projects in the fields of waste-to-energy, biorefining, biochemistry, as well as other energy transition related themes.
We’ve also partnered with Technip for the FEED phase of the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project at the Kasawari offshore gas field, Malaysia’s Sarawak state – in line with Malaysia’s goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – and early this year, NPCC won a contract to install monopile foundations on the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan.
These initiatives, among others, come in line with our commitment to promote a culture of sustainability and support the best environmental practices in light of the UAE government’s commitment to move toward clean energy sources.
Oil & Gas Middle East: A few months ago, NMDC and Abu Dhabi Ports Group joined forces to form SAFEEN Surveys and Subsea Services, a new joint venture dedicated to providing surveys, trenching and dredging support services. Tell us more about it.
Al Dhaheri: Our Group’s newest joint venture with our long-term partner AD Ports Group will take the offshore surveys and subsea services towards new horizons by combining the excellent track record of the NMDC Group including NPCC and that of AD Ports.
SAFEEN Surveys and Subsea Services will offer the most advanced and innovative offshore surveys and diving solutions to different types of environments and across wider geographies – which will no doubt contribute to our ongoing growth and expansion strategy as it further strengthens our reputation as a global EPC and marine dredging major.
The new company will offer a portfolio comprising offshore surveys (geophysical and geotechnical), trenching, and dredging support services as well as integrated subsea services, such as commercial diving services, remotely operated vehicles, and unmanned inspections vessels. The company will also offer the provision of customised, cost-effective, and innovative solutions tailored for offshore operations related to the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors.
