Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has awarded a contract to China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC) to upgrade its Bab onshore field to increase production capacity.

The upgrade will increase the crude oil production capacity of the field from 420,000 to 450,000 barrels per day by 2020. CPECC, which is affiliated to China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), was awarded the contract by Adnoc Offshore, the Adnoc subsidiary which operates the Bab field.

The upgrade will include the deployment of cluster drilling, in which multiple oil wells are located at the same place. This will reduce costs and the environmental effects from drilling operations. Digital oil field technology will also be introduced to enable remote monitoring and analysis of well performance.

Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, said in a released statement: “The decision to modernise our production infrastructure at the large Bab field, is another clear signal that ADNOC is making smart investments to increase production capacity, enhance the long-term productivity and maximise the profitability of Abu Dhabi’s oil reserves, as we create a more profitable upstream business, in line with our Supreme Petroleum Council approved 2030 growth strategy.”