Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's (Adnoc) Central Control Centre on Das Island was inaugurated today by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

The inauguration of the centre was undertaken during a visit of Sheikh Hamdan to Adnoc's operations on Zirku and Das islands, said a Wam news agency report.

Sheikh Hamdan reiterated that the UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will continue to develop the necessary economic infrastructure, with a focus on the oil and gas industry.

The centre will enhance the performance of Adnoc’s offshore operations. The centre is equipped with advanced technology that will also augment the safety of Adnoc’s offshore operations, while at the same time contributing to energy efficiencies.

Das Island is located 182 km away from Abu Dhabi and was the location of the first offshore oil shipment from Abu Dhabi, in 1962, to Japan. In 1973, the first LNG production company in the Middle East and North Africa region was established on Das Island. Oilfields that are linked to the island include Umm al-Shaif, and Lower Zakum. The island of Zirku is located 140 km away from Abu Dhabi. It has facilities to process and export crude oil and condensates from the oil fields to which it has been linked, including Upper Zakum, Umm al-Dalkh and Satah.

Sheikh Hamdan praised Adnoc's efforts to become a more commercially minded and performance led company to ensure that the UAE maintains its leadership in the global energy sector.

He said: "Adnoc's experiences and capabilities will support the execution of its strategy to transform the company and enable it to keep pace with changes in the global energy landscape. The transformation will ensure the future success of Adnoc, which will remain an important cornerstone of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s socio-economic growth."

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Adnoc Group CEO, welcomed Sheikh Hamdan to Zirku Island and Das Island.

Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, director of Adnoc’s Upstream Directorate; Abdulaziz Abdulla Alhajri, director of Adnoc’s Downstream Directorate; and Saif Al Falahi, manager of Adnoc’s General Services and Protocol Unit, were also in attendance.

Dr Al Jaber said: "We are pleased to welcome HH Sheikh Hamdan to our facilities on Zirku and Das Island and are grateful for his, and the UAE leadership’s, unwavering support as we implement our 2030 smart growth styrategy. Adnoc is an integral part of the economy and the nation’s prosperity, and we are transforming our business to ensure that we continue to create the greatest value from the nation’s natural resources.

"The inauguration of the Central Control Centre underlines our continuing commitment to create efficiencies and enhance the performance of our operations across the entire value chain, as we work to ensure that Adnoc is fit to both lead and thrive in the new energy era."

The visit began on the island of Zirku, where HH Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on Adnoc’s offshore strategy and expansion plans. He visited Adnoc's operations on the island, as well as its residential areas and natural reserves, and had lunch with a group of Adnoc employees.