The structure of the Abu Dhabi oil industry is built around the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), which has rapidly assumed the role of a link between government institutions--which establish petroleum policy--and the operating companies that are responsible for executing approved projects. As the principal producer of oil and gas in the UAE, ADNOC’s position in the industry is central. Atef Suleiman is uniquely qualified to assess the role of ADNOC, and he here examines the nature of its operations, and explores its ability to innovate and develop in order to successfully ride the new trends in the oil industry.