‘Das Crude’ selected as new oil blend for ADNOC: secures space for additional tank storage.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has selected ‘Das Crude’ as the name for its new oil blend coming from the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) managed Umm Shaif and Lower Zakum oilfields. Speaking at last week’s ADIPEC conference in Abu Dhabi, Abdulla Nasser Al-Suwaidi, director general of ADNOC announced: “Das Crude started as an innovative idea to secure the space required for accommodating the increase in the company’s production and save two storage tanks on a busy island.”

Das Crude Oil is a light crude, with very low sulfur and metal content which overall makes it clean and safe for most refining operations. It will replace the existing Umm Shaif and Lower Zakum crudes by July 2014. By mixing the two crudes in Das Crude and consequently storing it in unified tanks, secures the space required for accommodating the additional production and ensures more efficient and flexible shipment programming. To ensure loading efficiency, the new mixture will result in saving a considerable fraction of the loading time needed for the simultaneous pumping compared to pumping two different grades into oil tanks.

Das Crude will be stored in 13 crude oil tanks. The total storage capacity is approximately 7,700,000  barrels. The crude will be exported via two existing SBM’s (currently used to export Umm Shaif and Lower Zakum crudes and condensates). The monthly available Das Crude for export will be above 20,000,000 barrels. Two tankers can be loaded simultaneously at an enhanced pumping rate of around 60,000 barrels per hour.

PROFILE: Captain Ashraf Mabrouk and Khalifa Port.

Having just celebrated the anniversary of its first year of commercial operation, today we focus on the port and talk to Captain Ashraf Mabrouk, Khalifa Port Harbour Master about his experiences and the development of the facility.

Khalifa Port, commenced commercial operations on September 1st 2012 and was officially inaugurated on 12 December 2012 by the UAE’s President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nayhan and is the first semi-automated container terminal in the region. The port is equipped with latest technology and equipment in the industry, including six super post panamax ship to shore cranes which can reach across 22 container stacks on a ship, and 30 automated stacking cranes and 20 straddle carriers.