The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China have significantly strengthened their energy partnership through the signing of three major liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreements. Among these, a 15-year contract between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and China’s ENN Natural Gas stands out, marking the largest LNG deal by volume ever signed between the two nations. Under this agreement, ADNOC will supply up to one million tonnes of LNG annually to ENN, with deliveries commencing upon the launch of ADNOC’s Ruwais LNG project, anticipated in 2028
In addition to the ENN agreement, ADNOC has entered into separate LNG supply deals with China’s state-owned CNOOC and Zhenhua Oil. CNOOC’s five-year contract involves the annual delivery of 500,000 metric tonnes of LNG starting in 2026, while Zhenhua Oil’s agreement entails up to 12 cargoes per year over the same period.
These contracts reflect China’s strategic move to diversify its energy sources amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States, which have led to a significant reduction in U.S. LNG imports .
The signing of these agreements coincided with the inauguration of ADNOC’s new sales and marketing office in Beijing, underscoring the UAE’s commitment to expanding its energy footprint in Asia.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC’s Managing Director and Group CEO, emphasized that these developments are pivotal in enhancing cooperation with Chinese partners and creating new opportunities across the energy sector value chain.
