Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has reworked the bid process for a huge offshore expansion scheme, involving the expansion of its Lower Zakum offshore oilfield, as the oil-rich emirate prepares to ramp up its production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2027.

The tender process for the first phase of the much-delayed Lower Zakum long term development plan (LTDP-1) has gained momentum, following Adnoc’s decision this month to split the project’s workscope into three substantial packages, multiple people familiar with the project told Upstream.

Billions of dollars worth of upstream-focused oil and gas deals were awarded by the company and its subsidiaries last year, with multiple projects said to be in the bidding stage.