Abu Dhabi family capital just joined Saudi Aramco and Mitsubishi as a MidOcean Energy shareholder

An investment firm owned by members of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family is making its first major move into the global LNG sector. The Private Department of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan will invest USD 1.13 bn in MidOcean Energy, the LNG company formed and managed by US energy-focused private equity firm EIG, according to a press release.

The fine print: The two sides are also setting up a strategic partnership covering capital aggregation, agreement origination, and institutional investment across the UAE and select regional markets, with energy and adjacent infrastructure as a stated area to explore next.

Why this matters: The transaction marks the Private Department’s first investment in the global LNG sector, highlighting growing appetite among UAE investors for long-life gas assets. While separate from Adnoc’s investment strategy, the agreement reinforces Abu Dhabi’s broader push to expand its presence across the global gas value chain.

BACKGROUND- MidOcean has scaled fast since EIG launched it, building a balance sheet north of USD 5 bn and stakes in LNG projects across Canada, Latin America, and Australia. Its shareholder roster already includes Saudi Aramco and Mitsubishi — the Private Department joins a shareholder base already stacked with strategic, not just financial, backers.

The investment follows MidOcean’s broader equity fundraising efforts back in March, when the company raised more than USD 1.2 bn and was targeting up to USD 2 bn from new investors to fund further expansion of its global LNG portfolio.