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Adnoc kickstarts USD 3.8 bn subsea energy project: Italian cable company Prysmian Group ’s cable-laying vessel, the Leonardo Da Vinci, has arrived in the UAE for a four-month stint to kickstart Adnoc and Taqa’s USD 3.8 bn (AED 14 bn) subsea energy transmission project, state news agency Wam reports. The vessel will lay cables between the Mirfa and the Zakum cluster, covering 134 km initially and later adding a second 141 km route.
Background: The two energy firmsreached financial close back in September 2022 on the USD 3.8 bn project that will see them build what they say is a “first-of-its-kind” subsea transmission network in MENA, designed to reduce emissions at its offshore production facilities. The high-voltage direct current transmission system will include two subsea links and converter stations and will have a total installed capacity of 3.2 GW.
But Enterprise, how does using a subsea transmission network slash emissions at offshore production infrastructure? Offshore platforms usually generate their own electricity through gas turbines or diesel generators — but replacing these onboard generating systems with power from the mainland transmitted through subsea cables can significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Because of their design, HVDC subsea cables are particularly effective in transmitting energy over long distances in an energy-efficient way.
The timeline:Construction began in early 2022 and commercial operations are expected to begin in 2025.
Who’s involved: Adnoc and Taqa are joined by a consortium consisting of Korea Electric Power, Kyushu Electric Power Company and France’s EDF. Adnoc and Taqa each own a 30% stake in the project, while the consortium collectively owns the remaining 40% stake.
