Dentons has advised Total on its successful bid for an interest in the new 40 year Abu Dhabi onshore oil concession, known as the new ADCO onshore concession. The first stakeholder to be awarded a concession interest by the Supreme Petroleum Council of Abu Dhabi, Total receives the maximum available 10% participating interest, effective January 2015. Total was also appointed Asset Leader for the key Bu Hasa and South East assets, which collectively represent approximately two-thirds of ADCO’s production.

The new ADCO concession is a historic reallocation of partnerships between some of the world's largest oil companies and state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) following the expiry of the original concession in 2014.  The concession, Abu Dhabi's largest and oldest, covers the Emirate's fifteen principal onshore oil fields and represents more than half of Abu Dhabi's production.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chief Executive Officer at Total, commented: "Total’s entry into the new ADCO concession is a major milestone in the history of the Group’s 75-year partnership with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. We are committed to bringing our most advanced technological expertise to unlock the full production potential of Abu Dhabi's onshore fields and therefore contribute to the development of additional reserves over the next 40 years.”

Andrew Ward, Managing Partner, Abu Dhabi at Dentons, said: "This is a significant milestone for the Emirate's oil industry and is a tremendous result for Total. We are pleased to have advised Total on all aspects of the successful bid, including on related joint venture, operating, technology and manpower supply arrangements."

Rajan Phakey, Head of Energy - Middle East at Dentons, added: "The new concession, which contained novel arrangements around technology sharing, represents one of the most significant developments in the Abu Dhabi upstream oil and gas sector in decades. "

Dentons has a strong history in the Middle East, being the first international law firm to establish in the region, opening its Cairo office in 1964. The Firm has advised on many of the region's ground-breaking oil projects, including having advised Total on its first oil interests in Iraq in the 1930s.

The Dentons team was led by Abu Dhabi based partners Andrew Ward and Rajan Phakey, and included partners Catherine Bingham and James Dallas and senior associate Anna Copeman.