SPC Approval

Supreme Petroleum Council approval adds the activity of Onshore and Offshore Oil and Gas Field and Facilities Services to a trade licence. It is required for any organisation seeking to engage with ADNOC or its affiliated companies. The Council was created under Law No. 1 of 1988 and is responsible for petroleum policy, sector oversight and ADNOC strategy and financial performance. Because of this role, the activity is regulated at licence level rather than project level.

The approval is mandatory for ADNOC vendor registration and tender participation. It is also essential for issuing CICPA security passes, which allow access to oil fields and other restricted infrastructure. Without the approval, these passes cannot be obtained.

The requirement applies even when a company’s core activity lies outside oil and gas if the work relates to ADNOC operations.

Any company may apply, although approval is only granted when strict structural criteria are met. An applicant must be an onshore limited liability company with a 51 percent SPC-approved local partner, or a foreign branch with an SPC-approved National Service Agent. Some dual licences and certain free zone branches can qualify, but extra conditions commonly apply. Since requirements can shift, early eligibility checks are important. They avoid later restructuring.