ABU DHABI - Abu Dhabi Marketing.

ADNOC's marketing unit keeps prices competitive. It monitors the market and applies the most convenient premia, or price differentials, that correspond to the qualities of Abu Dhabi crudes. The marketing unit has good experts in pricing. The same unit handles oil products sales from Abu Dhabi's oil refineries (DT No. 2).

ADNOC Marketing & Refining Directorate is in charge of sales to international markets of ADNOC's equity share of crude oil output, natural gas liquids and sulphur, together with the refined oil products processed by the Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Co. (TAKREER). It also sells oil products to local distribution companies for consumption in the domestic market. The directorate co-ordinates the activities of TAKREER, ADNOC for Distribution (ADNOC-FOD), the Abu Dhabi National Tanker Co. (ADNATCO) and the National Gas Shipping Co. (NGSCO) - all being wholly owned units of ADNOC.

Abu Dhabi's crude oil exports consist mainly of the four grades: Murban, 40.4[degrees] API with 0.8% sulphur, a distillate-rich blend of crudes produced from ADCO's onshore fields; Lower Zakum, 40.1[degrees] API with 1.1% S, produced offshore by ADMA-OPCO; Umm Shaif, 37.4[degrees] API with 1.5% S, produced offshore by ADMA-OPCO; and Upper Zakum, 33.9[degrees] API with 1.8% S produced offshore by ZADCO (see Part 2).Murban is exported from Jebel Dhanna. Zakum and UmmShaif are exported from Das Island. Upper Zakum is exported from Zirku Island. LPG is exported from the GASCO terminal at Ruwais and from Das. Liquid and granulated sulphur is exported from ADNOC facilities at Ruwais.

ADNOC-FOD does its own marketing for lubricants and some products locally, in the UAE and abroad. It has offices in several countries. It markets over 40,000 tons/year of lubricants. ADNOC-FOD sells its products mainly in the Middle East including the GCC, in South-East Asia and in Africa (see background in Vols. 60 & 56, No. 3).