Abu Dhabi state-owned Adnoc said its operations continue despite the escalating regional conflict and disruption to tanker movements through the strait of Hormuz, with the company adjusting flows and deliveries to maintain supplies to global markets.
Adnoc, in its first statement since the war between Iran and the US-Israel coalition began a week ago, said it has activated established contingency protocols and is working with authorities to safeguard personnel, assets and operations as the conflict continues to disrupt shipping across the Middle East Gulf.
"As a responsible operator, Adnoc is carefully managing offshore production levels to address storage requirements," the company said, signalling that output could be adjusted as logistics constraints affect the pace of exports.
Business units are assessing the situation "product by product and transaction by transaction," the company said, while sales and trading teams are engaging with customers whose cargo schedules may be affected by the logistical challenges in the region.
The company said it continues to utilise export routes that bypass the strait of Hormuz and draw on its international storage network to maintain supply continuity. It is also managing offshore production levels to address storage requirements and preserve operational flexibility while ensuring the safety of staff and infrastructure.
The UAE can bypass the strait using the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP), also known as the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline. The pipeline, which has a nameplate capacity of 1.5mn b/d, transports oil from Abu Dhabi's fields directly to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, feeding its storage terminals and refining facilities.
Adnoc also said onshore operations continue, without offering further details on production levels.
Opec member UAE produced 3.53mn b/d of crude in February, according to Argus.
Sources with knowledge of the matter said the company is taking a highly granular approach to supply management rather than implementing blanket export restrictions or declaring force majeure. Instead, Adnoc is working with buyers on cargo timing adjustments, delivery extensions and trading arrangements designed to keep barrels moving despite the disruption to shipping.
Adnoc is leveraging the flexibility of its integrated system — including refining capacity, storage infrastructure and its trading arm — to balance crude flows and maintain supply commitments where possible, Argus understands.
The disruption to tanker traffic follows a week of Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting infrastructure across several Gulf states in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities that began on 28 February.
Kuwait's state-owned oil firm KPC today said it has started to reduce crude output and refinery runs after oil exports were effectively halted by the war. KPC also issued a force majeure notice on its crude and refined products exports, according to a 7 March statement seen by Argus. Kuwait exported about 1.9mn b/d of crude and 860,000 b/d of refined products through the strait of Hormuz in 2025, according to Kpler.
The conflict has already resulted in multiple attempted strikes on regional energy infrastructure. Saudi Arabia said earlier on Saturday that its air defences intercepted 20 drones launched in five waves toward Saudi Aramco's 1mn b/d Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter desert.
Earlier in the week, Saudi Arabia's 550,000 b/d Ras Tanura refinery sustained limited damage from falling debris after drone interceptions, while Bahrain's 405,000 b/d Sitra refinery and storage facilities at the ports of Fujairah in the UAE and Duqm in Oman were also targeted.
