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• 
  Taqa H1 profit rises 9.7% to AED4.1bn

  13 August 2026

  Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has reported a 9.7% year-on-year increase in net income attributable to shareholders to AED4.1bn ($1.12bn) for the first half of 2026.

  The Abu Dhabi-listed utilities company said higher contributions from its utilities businesses offset lower oil and gas earnings following the planned decommissioning of UK North Sea assets.

  Taqa reported revenue of AED27.5bn ($7.5bn) for the six months to 30 June, down 2.6% from AED28.2bn ($7.68bn) in the same period last year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) increased 7.7% year-on-year to AED11bn ($3bn), from AED10.2bn ($2.78bn).

  Capital expenditure increased 38% year-on-year to AED7.2bn ($1.96bn), reflecting continued investment across power, water and transmission networks. Free cash flow fell to AED4.6bn ($1.25bn) from AED7bn ($1.91bn) in the first half of 2025, largely because of the higher investment.

  Taqa’s board also approved a second-quarter interim dividend of 0.8 fils a share, totalling about AED899m ($245m).

  Power and water projects

  During the first half of 2026, Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) awarded the 2.6GW Taweelah C independent power project (IPP) to a consortium led by Taqa, which holds a 60% stake.

  The project is intended to support grid stability and enable the large-scale integration of renewable energy into Abu Dhabi’s power system through 2050.

  Taqa and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) also signed a 27-year utilities purchase agreement to provide utilities to the Taziz Industrial Chemicals Zone in Ruwais.

  In the water sector, Taqa Water Solutions, Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE) and Saur International signed a long-term agreement with the Ras Al-Khaimah government to develop a 60,000-cubic-metre-a-day wastewater treatment plant.

  The plant will be the emirate’s largest wastewater treatment facility and will serve up to 300,000 people.

  Taqa, Ewec, Masdar, EDF Power Solutions and Jinko Power also completed an $870.75m (AED3.2bn) green bond issuance to refinance the Al-Dhafra solar photovoltaic IPP.

  Masdar expansion

  Taqa said it continued to expand its international renewable energy exposure through its 43% stake in Masdar. This included Masdar’s binding agreement in April to establish a $2.2bn joint venture with TotalEnergies covering onshore renewable energy projects across Asia.

  The developer also signed an agreement with Repsol to acquire a 49.99% stake in a €849m, 705MW operational renewables portfolio in Spain. The portfolio has potential for a further 565MW of hybridisation capacity.

  Additionally, Masdar secured contracts for difference for 3GW of new offshore wind capacity across the Dogger Bank South projects in the UK.

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

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  Mark Dowdall
• 
  Adnoc Gas receives contractor prices for Ewec sales pipeline

  13 August 2026

  

   

  Contractors have submitted bids to Adnoc Gas for a new pipeline that it plans to build to supply gas from the Habshan scraper launcher station at its Habshan gas compression complex to the Al-Nouf customer receiving station (CRS), for delivery to Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec).

  The proposed 56-inch pipeline, stretching 127 kilometres, will help the UAE’s state utility, Ewec, meet additional gas demand to power the second phase of an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in Abu Dhabi, as well as to support the relocation of some of its key assets in the Mirfa area of the emirate.

  Adnoc Gas, the natural gas processing business of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group), issued the tender in mid-April for the project, officially titled ‘Ewec Mirfa relocation + AI data centre phase 2: Habshan to Al-Nouf pipeline’.

  Contractors submitted technical bids for the project in late May, while commercial bids were submitted on 3 August, sources told MEED.

  According to sources, the following contractors, among others, are understood to have submitted bids:

  • Arkad Engineering & Construction (Saudi Arabia; part of Italy’s Arkad SpA)
  • China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering (China)
  • Galfar Emirates (UAE branch of Oman’s Galfar Engineering & Construction)
  • Kalpataru Projects International (India)

  China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering has performed front-end engineering and design (feed) work on the project.

  The planned pipeline will provide two sales-gas streams to Ewec: 600-660 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) for AI data centre phase 2, and 650-715 million cf/d for the Mirfa relocation project.

  The core elements of the project involve engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the main Habshan-to-Al-Nouf pipeline and the following associated units:

  • 56-inch scraper (pig) launcher (607-V-604) and associated hot tap
  • Four block valve stations (BVSs -637-BVS-01/02/03/04)
  • 56-inch scraper (pig) receiver (848-V-101)
  • CRS at Al-Nouf including sales gas filters, pressure regulating stations (PRS), custody transfer metering systems (CTMS)
  • 30-inch tapping to Ewec plants (cold tie-ins)
  • 52-inch tie-ins between Adnoc Gas’ Maximise Ethane Recovery & Monetisation (Meram) project and package 3 of its broader project to upgrade its sales gas pipeline network across the UAE, also known as Estidama.

  Adnoc Gas business

  Adnoc Group announced the creation of Adnoc Gas through the merger of its subsidiaries Adnoc Gas Processing and Adnoc LNG in November 2022. Adnoc Gas began operating as a commercial entity on 1 January 2023.

  The consolidation of Adnoc’s gas processing and liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations into Adnoc Gas has created one of the world’s largest gas-processing entities, with a processing capacity of about 10 billion standard cubic feet of gas a day at eight onshore and offshore sites, which include its Asab, Bab, Bu Hasa, Habshan and Ruwais plants.

  The company also owns a 3,250km gas pipeline network to supply feedstock to its customers in the UAE. This sales gas pipeline network is being expanded to over 3,500km through the estimated $3bn Estidama project.

  At present, the network delivers sales gas to Adnoc Group companies, Ewec, Dolphin Energy, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), and other industrial consumers in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.

  The main critical facilities and/or manifolds of the Adnoc Gas sales-gas pipeline network are as follows:

  • Habshan gas compressor plant
  • Thammama-C manifold
  • Maqta manifold
  • KM-42 station
  • Taweelah gas compressor plant

  Additionally, Adnoc Gas will also acquire its parent Adnoc Group’s 60% share in the Ruwais LNG terminal project at cost in the second half of 2028. UK energy producer BP, Japan’s Mitsui & Co, UK-based Shell and French energy producer TotalEnergies are the other shareholders in the project, holding 10% stakes each.

  Adnoc Gas recently announced it is executing a capital expenditure (capex) budget of $28bn for 2026 to 2030, reaffirming the spending plan it previously committed to for the period.

  As part of that capex plan, Adnoc Gas said it achieved final investment decision (FID) on the second and third phases of its Rich Gas Development (RGD) programme earlier this year.

  The company awarded $8.2bn of EPC contracts for the second and third phases of the RGD programme. These relate to the construction of a new gas processing train at the Habshan complex and a natural gas liquids (NGL) fractionation train at the Ruwais gas processing facility, respectively.

  Adnoc Gas detailed its capex plan as part of a media roundtable to discuss its financial results for the second quarter of the year (Q2 2026).

  The company achieved net income of $665m in Q2 2026 – above the upper end of the $400m-$600m guidance range provided in the first quarter.

  Supported by its cash flow from operations, the company’s board has approved a quarterly dividend of $940m, payable in September, in line with its commitment to deliver annual dividend growth of 5% through 2030.

  The detailed scope of work on the Ewec Mirfa relocation + AI data centre phase 2: Habshan to Al-Nouf pipeline project covers the following:

  • 56-inch sales gas pipeline from Habshan to Ewec Al-Nouf plant:
    • The new 56-inch sales gas pipeline from Habshan to Al-Nouf CRS, covering 127km, will supply sales gas to Ewec plant. Majority of the pipeline route is through the Sabkha area (approximately 100km) and will be routing parallel to existing pipeline facilities. FOCs shall be laid on both sides of the pipeline. Approximately 30 NDRCs (mostly micro tunneling) are envisaged for this pipeline.
    • The 56-inch pipeline is envisaged with four block valve stations 647-BVS-01-04 based on the pipeline location class study.
    • The pipeline shall be provided with scrapper launcher at Habshan (located in Estidama package 3 scrapper launcher plot) along with 48-inch hot tap tie-in at the gas source point (on existing 56-inch supply line manifold) and scraper receiver at Al-Nouf CRS for pipeline cleaning and inspection.
    • Habshan outlet battery limit, available battery limit pressure is 39 – 41.5 barg.
    • At Al-Nouf CRS the tie-in pressure requirement is minimum 25 barg downstream of the CRS facilities at the tie-in point to Al-Nouf plant.
    • Maximum pressure during line pack condition is 41.5 barg.
       
  • Facilities at Al-Nouf CRS:
    • 56” Scraper Receiver with Scrapper Handling Trolley and Jib crane. Both CRSs shall be identical in design and size.
    • The battery limit pressure at tie-in connection to Al-Nouf is 25 barg.
    • Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) building and fire point shelter.
    • Permanent power supply to CRS from Ewec or Taqa and associated facilities.
       
  • AI data centre phase 2 project – CRS 1:
    • Sales gas filters (duty + standby configuration)
    • Custody transfer metering skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Pressure regulating skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Gas chromatograph, hydrocarbon dew point analyser inside AC shelter
    • Flow limiting control valves with bypass control valves
    • 30-inch cold tie-in to AI data centre phase 2.
       
  • Mirfa relocation – CRS 2:
    • Sales gas filters (duty + standby configuration)
    • Custody transfer metering skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Pressure regulating skid (duty + standby configuration)
    • Gas chromatograph, hydrocarbon dew point analyser inside AC shelter
    • Flow limiting control valves with bypass control valves
    • 30-inch cold tie-in to Mirfa relocation power plant.
       
  • 52-inch jump over between Meram and Estidama package 3:
    • A 52-inch interconnection including ROV and associated facilities shall be provided between Meram 56” sales gas pipeline tie-in and Estidama package-3 56-inch pipeline tie-in. 52-inch piping to be installed on the existing / new pipe rack to cross the existing pipeline corridor. Cold tap Tie-ins on both existing pipeline is envisaged to install this jump-over connection.
    • The existing Meram plot or Estidama package 3 plot at 8.2km shall be extended to install the new ROV and associated facilities.
    • The new 52-inch ROV and associated facilities shall be connected to the Meram area existing systems and suitable modification and integration with SMC/telecommunication systems shall be performed by the EPC contractor.
    • Necessary adequacy checks shall be performed on the piping structures, supports, plots, systems, as applicable.
       
  • Electrical and instrumentation buildings:
    • E&I building type 1 at Al-Nouf CRS.
    • Block valve station (BVS) shall be provided with hybrid cooling shelter for equipment installation in case solar power system is to be adopted. If power source available nearby, electrical and instrumentation building (type 2) is to be provided.

  The duration of EPC works on the project is 31 months from the award of contract.

  ALSO READ: Adnoc Gas to move prudently on Bab gas cap project

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  Indrajit Sen
• 
  Oman plans seven factories to localise transformer parts

  13 August 2026

  Oman has signed 10 agreements worth an expected RO15m ($39m) to localise the manufacture of key electrical transformer components typically used in power transmission and distribution projects.

  The agreements were signed on 12 August under the Authority for Public Services Regulation in cooperation with Muscat-headquartered Voltamp Energy.

  They cover the establishment of seven new factories, which will manufacture eight essential electrical transformer components.

  Two existing factories will also add production lines to manufacture a further two components.

  The agreements were signed with four local small and medium-sized enterprises and six local and international companies.

  It is understood that local firms Al-Mahri Industrial Enterprises, Al-Maha Ideal Solutions and United Engineering Services are among the companies participating in the programme.

  The projects are expected to occupy a proposed total area of 34,000 square metres, with commercial production scheduled to start in 2027.

  In March, state utility Nama Power & Water Procurement (PWP) said it expects the renewable energy share to increase steadily, reaching 16% in 2028 and 21% in 2029 before rising to 30% in 2030. This compares to about 4% in 2024.

  To support the sultanate’s renewable energy expansion, about 70 transmission projects are expected to enter service between 2026 and 2030, according to the Oman Electricity Transmission Company’s Five-Year Annual Transmission Capability Statement.

  The localisation initiative is intended to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imports amid global supply risks and market fluctuations.

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18398112/main.jpg

  Mark Dowdall
• 
  Six bid for Dubai Airport Express Line

  13 August 2026

  

   

  Six consultants have submitted proposals to Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) for a contract to study and design the Airport Express Line, which will extend from Dubai International airport (DXB) in the Al-Garhoud area to Al-Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in the Jebel Ali area.

  The bidders are US-based Aecom, Canada’s AtkinsRealis, US-based Jacobs, US-based Parsons, France’s Systra and Canada’s WSP.

  The proposed line will stretch about 55 kilometres and include five stations, providing passengers with facilities such as remote airline check-in, baggage drop-off and security screening.

  The new line will run from the Red Line metro station at DXB through Al-Jaddaf, along Al-Khail Road to a new station at Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), before continuing to DWC.

  There will be two spur lines. The first will run from the new JVC station to Al-Fardan Exchange metro station at Emirates Golf Club, while the second will branch towards Business Bay, where another station will be built.

  The new line appears to follow a similar route to the Etihad Rail high-speed railway project, which is under construction and due to be completed by 2030.

  The Airport Express Line scheme is the latest metro project to be tendered by the RTA this year. The RTA has also issued a request for qualification notice for a contract to build the new Gold Line, as part of its expansion of the Dubai Metro network.

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

   

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

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  Colin Foreman
• 
  Contractor kicks off EPC work on Uthmaniyah gas compression package

  12 August 2026

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  Saudi Arabia-based Saipem Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri Contracting Company (SNSH) – a joint venture of Italian contractor Saipem and local contractor Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri & Partners Company for Contracting – has kicked off work on the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package in Saudi Arabia.

  The package forms part of a wider Saudi Aramco project to boost gas compression capacity at the Shedgum and Uthmaniyah processing plants in the Eastern Province.

  The Shedgum and Uthmaniyah plants currently receive about 870 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) and 1.2 billion cf/d of Khuff raw gas, respectively. Through the multibillion-dollar project, Aramco aims to increase the compression and processing capacity of both plants, as well as build new pipelines to enhance gas transportation.

  Aramco formally awarded the key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package to SNSH in June.

  The value of the contract won by SNSH is estimated at $1.24bn, sources previously told MEED. Separately, Milan-headquartered Saipem said its share of the contract is €900m ($1.04bn) and that the EPC works will run for 42 months.

  The scope covers the EPC of a new compression plant serving the non-associated Uthmaniyah gas field, Saipem said in its statement. Saipem added that “the new compression plant will extend the production life of the field, helping to support the growing energy demand of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

  The contract for the Uthmaniyah gas compression plant package is the first EPC project awarded under Aramco’s National EPC Champion programme, Euronext Milan-listed Saipem said.

  Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression project

  The Uthmaniyah gas compression plant contract is one of nine EPC packages under the broader Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression project. The packages are:

  1. Shedgum gas compression facility and SGP in-plant works
  2. Uthmaniyah gas compression facility and UGP in-plant works
  3. Shedgum gas compression pipelines package
  4. Uthmaniyah gas compression pipelines package
  5. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah central temporary construction facilities
  6. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah early works site preparation
  7. Operation and maintenance of Saudi Aramco Project Management Team temporary construction facilities and accommodation
  8. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression plant PIA
  9. Shedgum and Uthmaniyah gas compression plant PSA.

  Aramco has awarded package 6 (early works site preparation) to local firm Al-Shalawi International Company Trading & Contracting, sources told MEED.

  Aramco is also understood to be in discussions with India’s Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (L&T), among other bidders, for package 1 (Shedgum gas compression facility and SGP in-plant works), sources said.

  Separately, Aramco was said to be in negotiations with a consortium of China’s Sinopec and Dammam-based Al‑Qahtani Pipe Coating Industries for package 4 (Uthmaniyah gas compression pipelines). However, the consortium fell short of providing bond guarantees and did not meet other Aramco requirements, leading to its break-up, sources told MEED. Aramco may now open discussions with other bidders for the package.

  Meanwhile, Khobar-based Arkad Engineering & Construction has emerged as the lowest bidder for package 3 (Shedgum gas compression pipelines), with Aramco expected to award the contract in June, according to sources.

  Contractors submitted bids for packages of the Shedgum and Uthmaniya gas compression capacity expansion project in January, MEED previously reported.

  The Saudi energy giant is understood to have started the solicitation of interest process for the main EPC contract tendering exercise in the fourth quarter of 2024.

  Aramco subsequently issued the tenders for the EPC packages of the scheme during the second quarter of last year and set an initial bid submission deadline of 17 August.

  Aramco then extended the bid submission deadline to 17 November, 7 December, and then to January, according to sources.

  In line with its aim of increasing gas production and processing capacity by 80% by 2030, with 2021 as its baseline, Aramco is investing significant capital in gas projects in the kingdom.

  Photo credit: Saipem via

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18366754/main.jpg

  Indrajit Sen