Nasser Omair Al Muhairi, Acting CEO of ADNOC’s Downstream industry, Marketing and Trading. Source: Special Arrangement.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is open to further long-term liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply agreements with India and sees significant potential to deepen cooperation across crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), naphtha, trading, shipping and strategic storage, Nasser Omair Al Muhairi, its Acting CEO (downstream industry, marketing and trading business) told The Hindu in an exclusive interaction.
“By combining [ADNOC’s] supply, trading and shipping capabilities, ADNOC is well positioned to provide Indian customers with reliable long-term LPG access, greater flexibility and enhanced energy security,” he said..
Mr. Al Muhairi described India as one of ADNOC’s most important energy markets.
Building on LPG supply agreement
Indian Oil had signed a strategic collaboration agreement with ADNOC in May during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The agreement seeks to expand LPG supply and trading opportunities, including through ADNOC’s global trading unit, and potentially pave the way for a long-term sale and purchase agreement, building on the LPG term contract in place since 2023.
Mr. Al Muhairi said ADNOC’s “reliability, operational resilience and proximity” to key demand centres positioned it as a trusted partner in meeting India’s growing energy needs.
India among top energy markets
ADNOC supplied more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil a day to India in 2025, accounting for “almost one in ten barrels of [India’s] crude imports”, Mr. Al Muhairi said. The company is also among India’s leading suppliers of LNG and naphtha.
“Building on this foundation, we see significant opportunities to deepen cooperation across crude, LNG, LPG, naphtha, trading, shipping and strategic storage,” he said.
ADNOC’s ambition, he added, extended beyond supplying more energy to Indian customers to providing “greater security and flexibility while supporting investment and growth across the energy value chain.”
Expanding supply capacity
Mr. Al Muhairi said that ADNOC is working to increase its oil production capacity to five million barrels a day by 2027. It is also expanding domestic gas production and broadening access to global LNG supplies.
“Recent market conditions have reinforced the value of this integrated approach, with logistics and export infrastructure helping maintain reliable and flexible supply during periods of disruption,” Mr. Al Muhairi said.
Strategic storage plans
ADNOC is also exploring opportunities with Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPRL) to expand storage of crude oil, LNG and LPG, including strategic reserves.
“Our (ADNOC’s) immediate priority is advancing commercial and regulatory work with Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) to determine capacities, investment and timelines,” Mr. Al Muhairi said.
The collaboration envisages increasing ADNOC’s crude oil storage capacity in India to as much as 30 million barrels. This includes the existing 5.86 million barrels of storage in Mangaluru and potential new facilities in Visakhapatnam and Chandikhol.
The two sides are also exploring the possibility of storing crude oil at Fujairah in the UAE as part of India’s strategic petroleum reserve network.
Published – October 13, 2026 06:30 am IST
