Malaysian state firm Petronas has been granted a new oil and gas exploration concession in Onshore Block 2 in Abu Dhabi’s western Al Dhafra region by the Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs (SCFEA). Petronas is a relatively new player in Abu Dhabi, having first entered in December 2022 through the Unconventional Onshore Block 1 (MEES, 9 December 2023). Earlier this year it was awarded Unconventional Onshore Block 5. Its new license, Onshore 2, was originally unsuccessfully offered up in Abu Dhabi’s 2018 and 2019 licensing rounds, and was seen as having both unconventional and conventional potential.