Japan’s Inpex Corporation has signed a 15-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), securing long-term deliveries from the Ruwais LNG project in the United Arab Emirates. According to MarketScreener and The National , the agreement covers the supply of 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG and represents the first long-term contract announced following the launch of ADNOC and XRG’s integrated global LNG marketing and trading platform.
The agreement was signed during the visit of Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Group Chief Executive Officer, to Japan as both countries sought to deepen their long-standing energy partnership. ADNOC said the deal advances the commercialisation of the Ruwais LNG project, which now has more than 90% of its planned 9.6 mtpa production capacity committed under long-term contracts, with nearly 23% allocated to Japanese customers. The Ruwais facility, expected to commence operations in 2028, will be the first LNG export plant in the Middle East and Africa to operate on clean power.
For Inpex, Japan’s largest oil and gas exploration company, the agreement aligns with its INPEX Vision 2035 strategy to strengthen its LNG portfolio and diversify supply sources beyond its existing production assets. The company said the long-term purchase will enhance supply flexibility for Japanese customers while supporting the country’s energy security as natural gas continues to play a key role in its energy transition. The deal also reinforces the decades-long commercial relationship between Inpex and ADNOC, with the Japanese company already holding interests in several of Abu Dhabi’s upstream oil and gas concessions.
The agreement highlights the growing importance of long-term LNG contracts as Asian economies seek reliable and lower-carbon fuel supplies amid rising global demand. Industry analysts say the partnership strengthens the UAE’s position as a leading global LNG exporter while providing Japan with greater energy security and supporting ADNOC’s ambition to expand its marketable LNG capacity to 47 mtpa by 2035.
