Germany's Wintershall and OMV of Austria have teamed up with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) to sink appraisal wells at a sour gas play in UAE.

The first two are to conduct an appraisal drilling campaign on the sour gas and condensate field in Shuwaihat with the local oil giant then stepping in if it proves a success.

Wintershall, as operator, and OMV will sink three appraisal wells as well as acquiring 3D seismic over the field, the latter wrote in a statement on Thursday.

If it proves a hit, Adnoc will jump in for the development and production phase.

The Shuwaihat field is located around 25 kilometres to the west of Ruwais in western Abu Dhabi.

OMV said: "A successful appraisal campaign will result in Shuwaihat being an important development of a gas and condensate field in the Western region of Abu Dhabi, contributing to cover the increasing hydrocarbon demand of the UAE and the country’s long-term export capability."

It continued: "To optimise the appraisal and future development of the Shuwaihat sour gas and condensate field, Wintershall and OMV will employ advanced technologies of the highest standards."

Wintershall chairman Rainer Seele said: “This upstream joint venture is an important step on the path towards long-term cooperation in the energy sector between Germany and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

"The Middle East region is gaining an increasingly important role in our diversified portfolio in sustaining our successful growth trajectory.”

OMV has long been an investor in Abu Dhabi's downstream sector but this move marks the first upstream entry for the Austrian company.

 The agreement comes at a time when Abu Dhabi is shortlisting international oil companies to bid for the country's main onshore oil concession.

Source: Upstream Online