State-owned ADNOC’s refining arm, Takreer, is building an oil terminal and storage tanks in Sharjah’s free port. MEES learns that the project is scheduled for start up in mid-2014, in time for the completion of Takreer’s new 417,000 b/d refinery at Ruwais in Abu Dhabi. The extra 83,000 cu ms of tanks will store fuel oil, gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
ADNOC’s retail division, ADNOC Distribution, is expanding its number of filling stations with new builds across the UAE to keep pace with the growing population and number of vehicles. It also took over the running of 74 filling stations operated by federal state-owned gasoline retailer Emarat in the UAE’s northern emirates: Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, ‘Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah. The move results from a fuel crisis in 2011 when Sharjah shut down Dubai’s state-owned ENOC and EPPCO gas stations in Sharjah, after they stopped selling subsidized gasoline to other emirates (MEES, 27 June 2011). The knock-on effect also resulted in Emarat’s retail stations running dry across the UAE. ADNOC was ordered to increase gasoline distribution at its gas stations across the UAE to make up for the shortfall. At a time of regional unrest, the UAE has cancelled plans to slowly abolish gasoline subsidies and Abu Dhabi pumped resources into the poorer northern emirates. (CONTINUED - 345 WORDS)
