Last Updated: August 28, 2023   |   Next Update: August 2025   |  
Full report   |   Notes

Overview

Table 1. UAE’s energy overview, 2021
  Crude oil and other petroleum liquids Natural gas Coal Nuclear  Hydro  Renewables and other Total 
Primary energy consumption (quads) 1.7 2.8 0.1 0.0   0.1 4.6
Primary energy consumption (percentage) 37% 60% 1% 0%   1% 100%
Primary energy production (quads) 7.7 2.4 0.0 0.0   0.1 10.1
Primary energy production (percentage) 76% 23% 0% 0%   1% 0%
Electricity generation (terawatthours)   127.1 0.0 1.8 0.0 6.7 135.6
Electricity generation (percentage)   94% 0% 1% 0% 5% 100%
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Statistics database
Note: EIA aggregates hydroelectricity and renewables as Renewables and other for primary energy production and consumption, and we aggregate crude oil and other petroleum liquids and natural gas as fossil fuels for Electricity generation. Quads=quadrillion British thermal units.

Related links

Figure 1. Map of the United Arab Emirates
Map of United Arab Emirates

Data source: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, CIA World Factbook—United Arab Emirates

Petroleum and other liquids

Table 2. Selected crude oil grades produced in the UAE
Crude oil grade API gravity number (degrees) Sulfur content (percentage)
Das 39.2 1.30%
Dubai 31.0 2.04%
Fateh 30.0 3.00%
Murban 40.4 0.79%
Umm Lulu 38.7 0.70%
Upper Zakum 34.0 1.95%
Data source: McKinsey & Company’s Energy Insights and Reuters

Figure 2. Total annual liquid fuels production and consumption in the UAE, 2013-2022
figure data
Table 3. Refineries in the UAE
Refinery name Location Status Owner Nameplate capacity (thousand barrels per day)
Ruwais Abu Dhabi Operating ADNOC 817
Jebel Ali Dubai Operating Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) 140
Umm Al Nar Abu Dhabi Closed ADNOC 85
Fort Energy (formerly Uniper) Fujairah Operating Fort Energy Refining Middle East 65
Ecomar Fujairah Operating Ecomar 22
VTTI Fujairah Fujairah Operating VTTI 80
Total       1,209

Data source: Hydrocarbons Technology, S&P Global Commodity Insights, Middle East Economic Survey, company websites

Natural Gas

Figure 3. Total dry annual natural gas production and consumption in the UAE, 2012-2021
figure data
Table 4. Selected upcoming natural gas project startups in the UAE
Project name Location Estimated start year Ownership Peak production level (million cubic feet per year)
Jebel Ali (EPS) Onshore 2023 ADNOC 50%; Dubai Supply Authority 50% 27
Dalma sour gas project Offshore 2025 ADNOC 55%; Eni 25%; Wintershall 10%; Lukoil 5%; OMV 5% 78
Umm Shaif (Khuf Gas cap phase 1) Offshore 2026 ADNOC 60%; TotalEnergies 20%; Eni 10%; PetroChina 6%; CNOOC 4% 168
Hail sour gas project        
     Phase 1 Offshore 2026 ADNOC 55%; Eni 25%; Wintershall 10%; Lukoil 5%; OMV 5% 62
     Phase 2 Offshore 2028   37
     Phase 3 Offshore 2030   27
Ghasha sour gas project        
     Phase 1 Offshore 2026 ADNOC 55%; Eni 25%; Wintershall 10%; Lukoil 5%; OMV 5% 51
     Phase 2 Offshore 2028   30
     Phase 3 Offshore 2030   23
Jebel Ali (FFD) Onshore 2030 ADNOC 50%; Dubai Supply Authority 50% 373

Data Rystad Energy

Coal

Figure 4. Total coal consumption in the UAE, 2012-2021
figure data

Electricity

Figure 5. UAE's electricity capacity by fuel type, 2012-2021
figure data
Figure 6. UAE's net electricity generation by fuel type, 2012-2021
figure data

Energy Trade

Figure 7. UAE's total annual exports and imports of crude oil, 2013-2022
figure data
Figure 8. UAE's crude oil and condensate exports by destination, 2022
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Figure 9. UAE's crude oil and condensate imports by orgin, 2022
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Figure 10. UAE's total annual petroleum products exports, 2019-2022
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Figure 11. UAE's total annual petroleum products imports, 2019-2022
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Table 5. UAE's LNG terminals
Project name Location Status Ownership Operator Start date Number of storage tanks Storage capacity (million cubic feet) Nameplate capacity (billion cubic feet per year)
Das Island T1 - T3 liquefaction terminal (ADNOC LNG) Abu Dhabi Operating ADNOC LNG (ADNOC 70%; Mitsui 15%; BP 10%; TotalEnergies 5%) ADNOC LNG T1: 1977
T2: 1977
T3: 1994
3 8 279
Jebel Ali FSRU Dubai Operating Excelerate Energy Excelerate Energy, Dubai Supply Authority 2010     288
Ruwais FSRU Abu Dhabi Operating Excelerate Energy Excelerate Energy 2016     183
Total           3 8 749

International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers, GIIGNL Annual Report, 2022
Note: FSRU=floating storage regasification units, LNG=liquefied natural gas

Figure 12. UAE's LNG exports by destination, 2022
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Figure 13. UAE's total annual coal imports, 2012-2022
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Endnotes

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