General and Legal News from the UAE – March 2022 № 1

published on 10 March 2022 | reading time approx. 3 minutes

The following provides a brief overview about the latest business, economic and legal news from all around the United Arab Emirates and GCC region.

UAE drops mandatory wearing of face masks in outside areas »
Abu Dhabi to remove Covid-19 border controls from 28 February 2022 »
Saudi Arabia discovers new natural gas fields »

UAE drops mandatory wearing of face masks in outside areas

The Dubai and Abu Dhabi crisis authorities have announced that from Saturday, 26 February, masks are no longer mandatory to be worn in outside areas.

The usage of face masks will be optional from Saturday onwards. However, they are still mandatory to be worn inside in all indoor areas and public places such as schools and shopping malls.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office tweeted that “Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has approved reduced precautionary measures for Covid-19 cases and those in contact, as well as tourism destinations and commercial premises, events, international travelers, and entry to Abu Dhabi Government buildings.”

Moreover, quarantine regulations have been loosened as close contacts of PCR positive individuals no longer have to quarantine but instead must take for five consecutive days daily PCR tests.

In Dubai neither quarantine nor PCR tests are required for close contacts of PCR positive individuals. It has also been announced that PCR test requirements for fully vaccinated passengers entering the UAE are no longer required.

Each individual Emirate is as before free to keep determining rules according to evaluated situations in the individual Emirate regarding quarantine periods and PCR testing.

Abu Dhabi to remove Covid-19 border controls from 28 February 2022

Abu Dhabi authorities have dropped the requirement of proof of a negative PCR test when crossing the Dubai- Abu Dhabi border.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office tweeted that “Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters committee has approved the removal of EDE scanners and requirements for green pass to enter Abu Dhabi emirate from within the UAE, effective Monday 28 February 2022. Green Pass will still be required to enter public spaces in Abu Dhabi.”

Commuters crossing the Dubai Abu Dhabi border therefore won’t be scanned anymore by EDE scanners and no longer will have to show a green Al Hosn App.

These new regulations come into place as Covid-19 cases have been falling consistently over the past few weeks with 386 new cases on Sunday 6 March.

Saudi Arabia discovers new natural gas fields

Several new natural gas fields in Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter, its Northern Border Region and Eastern Region have been discovered by Saudi ARAMCO as announced by the Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

The following natural gas fields have been discovered: 180k, southeast of Riyadh in the Central Region in Saudi Arabia the Shadun natural gas field was discovered after gas flowed from Shadun 1 well at a rate of 27 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), in addition to 3300 barrels of condensate.

In the Empty Quarter, 70km southwest from the Shaybah oil field, the Shehab gas field was found in the Empty Quarter after gas flowed from Shehab 1 well at 31 MMSCFD.

Also, in the Empty Quarter 120km southwest from the Shaybah field the Al-Shorfa gas field was discovered after gas flowed from Al Shorfa 2 well at 16,9 MMSCFD with 50 barrels of condensate.

The unconventional natural gas field Umm Khanasser was discovered after the flow of gas from Umm Khanasser 1 well at a rate of 2 MMSCFD along with 295 barrels of condensate.

More unconventional natural gas was found in the Eastern Region; the Samna field was found where gas flowed from the Samna 2 well at a rate of 5,8 MMSCFD with 24 barrels of condensate.