Photo: AP/SCANPIX

In the early morning to morning hours of Friday, 3 April 2026 local time, the UAE air defence systems successfully intercepted incoming targets, including drones and missiles, over the Habshan area. However, debris from the interception fell and caused fires at the facilities. The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed on the evening of 3 April that an Egyptian contractor lost his life during evacuation, while four others sustained minor injuries (two Pakistanis and two Egyptians).

On 4 April 2026 – within 24 hours of the major attack on 3 April – an EPCm emergency restoration contract (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management) was immediately activated.

Preliminary assessments indicate that damages are concentrated in three main areas:

Manifold Area: Partial inbound pipelines connecting to the Habshan 5 plant were damaged.

Main Gas Trunkline: A 52-inch high-pressure export pipeline was damaged in secondary fires triggered by falling interception debris.

Power Supply Facilities: Some associated cable trays were affected, disrupting automated monitoring systems in the damaged zone.

ADNOC activated its strategic reserves and awarded emergency contracts as follows:

NPCC (National Petroleum Construction Company): Responsible for on-site isolation and welding works.

China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPP): As a long-term framework agreement supplier to ADNOC, CPP maintains a large pipe yard in Abu Dhabi, from which standby pipes and elbows for restoration works are being rapidly deployed.

Emirates Steel Arkan: ADNOC has instructed Emirates Steel Arkan to maintain 24-hour standby status to meet steel demand for temporary safety barriers and reconstruction of damaged auxiliary facilities.

As of 6 April 2026, ADNOC stated that the affected areas have been isolated and assessments are ongoing. Thanks to its extensive supply network, natural gas supply across the entire pipeline network remains uninterrupted.

The Habshan natural gas processing complex is one of the largest facilities of its kind globally, expanded in phases from the 1980s to the present. ADNOC Gas plans to build a brand-new natural gas processing train that will increase the complex’s daily processing capacity by an additional 1.5 billion standard cubic feet. ADNOC Gas has officially advanced the Habshan 7 (H7) expansion project to its key execution phase.

In an official announcement released on 11 March 2026, ADNOC Gas named Larsen & Toubro (L&T) – India’s Larsen & Toubro – as the EPC main contractor for the Habshan 7 project, with a contract value of approximately US$3.65 billion (around AED 13.4 billion).

The project was originally scheduled for full completion and commissioning in 2029. Following the attack, L&T’s legal team has formally written to ADNOC, documenting the incident as a hostile act beyond the contractor’s control.

Under the US$3.65 billion contract secured by L&T, pipeline supplies will be delivered by the following key vendors:

As the UAE’s largest listed steel company, its participation reflects ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) policy.

Supplied Products:

Structural steel: Steel frameworks supporting dozens of giant processing modules for Habshan 7.

Conventional carbon steel pipes: Pipeline networks for non-corrosive media such as fire water and instrument air.

With its plant located in ICAD Industrial Zone, Abu Dhabi, the company offers extremely fast logistics response. Following the 3 April attack, it is now prioritising rapid supply of repair materials for damaged non-core structures on site.

Habshan processes high-sour natural gas with a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), making ordinary steel pipes highly susceptible to hydrogen-induced cracking. JFE will mainly supply 316L stainless steel or duplex steel lined composite pipes – a technology featuring a carbon steel outer pipe lined with a corrosion-resistant alloy layer.

The total supply volume is expected to exceed 5,000 tonnes. All pipes must pass stringent Hydrogen-Induced Cracking (HIC) and Sulfide Stress Corrosion Cracking (SSCC) tests, custom-produced at JFE’s Chiba or Kurashiki plants in Japan and shipped directly to Abu Dhabi. JFE is one of the few global manufacturers capable of large-scale production of such high-grade sour-service pipes.

PCK specialises in large-diameter, long-distance gas transmission pipelines.

Supplied Products: LSAW (Longitudinal Submerged Arc Welded) pipes – extra-heavy wall pipes designed to withstand ultra-high natural gas transmission pressures, typically ranging from 42 to 52 inches in diameter with wall thicknesses exceeding 30mm. Its automatic multi-wire welding process ensures structural integrity under extreme conditions including high temperatures in the Middle East and high-pressure operations.

PCK’s first batch of pipes was originally scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026. In the wake of the attack, specifications for some pipes are being re-evaluated to determine whether enhanced impact or blast resistance is required.