The award to Inpex will be effective from March 9 and follows Adnoc's announcement last year that it would split its Adma-Opco concession – now known as Adnoc Offshore – into three smaller parts operated in partnership with international oil and gas companies, with the state firm retaining a 60 per cent stake. The Lower Zakum concession, from where Adnoc is targeting production of 450,000 bpd over an unspecified period of time, has another 20 per cent stake up for grabs before the pact's expiry in March. Umm Shaif and Nasr oil and gas fields, where production capacities of 460,000 bpd and 500 million cubic feet per day of gas are being considered, has yet to find international partners to take on 40 per cent of the operating stake.