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Aramco's Jafurah expansion reshapes Middle East gas contracting landscape

Saudi Arabia’s Jafurah Gas Basin is emerging as one of the world’s most significant unconventional gas developments, anchoring a multi billion dollar EPC wave across processing, compression, pipelines and NGL infrastructure as the Kingdom targets 2 billion scfd of sales gas by 2030.

The Jafurah Gas Basin is not just another upstream development. It is the largest non associated gas field in Saudi Arabia and a defining milestone for the Kingdom’s unconventional gas strategy.

Led by Saudi Aramco, Jafurah targets 2 billion scfd of sales gas by 2030, alongside significant volumes of ethane, NGL and condensate. Phase 1 is now operational at 450 million scfd, setting the tone for one of the most capital intensive gas buildouts globally.
For EPC players and suppliers, Jafurah is not a single contract story. It is a multi year, multi package wave of awards spanning gas processing plants, compression, utilities, pipelines, fractionation and drilling infrastructure.

Phase 1 sets the execution benchmark

The first phase has centered on upstream gas gathering, processing facilities and compression hubs to handle unconventional shale gas production. EPCIntel data indicates that Phase 1 core EPC packages likely represent capital commitments in the range of USD 8 billion to USD 10 billion, excluding drilling.
The scale of equipment supply is equally significant, from large bore compressors and turbomachinery to heavy pressure vessels and modular process units fabricated locally.

A global EPC lineup with local depth

The contractor roster reads like a who’s who of the global EPC market.
Samsung E&A has taken a leading role in main gas processing facilities. Hyundai Engineering Co. Ltd. has delivered utilities and offsites packages, while Saipem has been active in gas compression and infrastructure.
India’s Larsen & Toubro Hydrocarbon has secured key gas processing and compression units, reinforcing its Middle East footprint. Tecnicas Reunidas has been awarded NGL fractionation and the Riyas plant scope, anchoring downstream value capture. Chinese major SINOPEC has participated in expansion packages and pipeline works, while NMDC Energy, formerly NPCC, has added regional execution muscle.
On the technology and equipment side, Baker Hughes supplies gas compression trains and turbomachinery, critical for high volume shale output. SLB underpins unconventional drilling and subsurface services. Automation packages have seen participation from ABB and Yokogawa, while local champions such as Zamil Industrial and Petron Saudi support pressure vessels and specialized fabrication.
This mix reflects a deliberate strategy, global engineering depth paired with strong in Kingdom manufacturing and supply chain participation.

Midstream monetization and investor alignment

Beyond upstream and processing, Jafurah includes a midstream investment structure designed to unlock capital while retaining operational control. A consortium including Global Infrastructure Partners, Hassana Investment Company, The Arab Energy Fund and Investcorp has taken stakes in the gas pipeline network, reinforcing the bankability of the development.
For EPC contractors, this structure means long term pipeline, compression and debottlenecking opportunities tied to throughput growth.

What comes next, expansion and hydrogen

With 2 billion scfd targeted by 2030, subsequent phases will multiply EPC opportunities. Additional gas processing trains, expanded compression, deeper NGL extraction and further pipeline looping are expected.
EPCIntel.com benchmarking suggests that full field development across all phases could push cumulative EPC and major equipment awards well beyond USD 25 billion to USD 30 billion over the life of the program, excluding drilling and upstream well services.
Crucially, Jafurah underpins Saudi Arabia’s blue hydrogen ambitions. Gas feedstock from Jafurah, combined with carbon capture, is positioned to support large scale hydrogen and ammonia export projects. That creates future interface packages covering hydrogen units, CCS infrastructure, additional utilities and marine export facilities.

A masterclass in scale and coordination

Jafurah is a case study in how to orchestrate multi contractor execution across unconventional upstream, processing, midstream and downstream integration.
For EPC firms, it offers repeatable package awards, expansion phases and lifecycle maintenance contracts. For suppliers, it locks in demand for compressors, vessels, automation systems and modular fabrication for years.
Most importantly, it cements Saudi Arabia’s shift toward gas as a cleaner burning fuel, freeing crude for export and enabling new value chains in hydrogen.
For the global EPC market, Jafurah is not just a field development. It is a decade long orderbook anchor with strategic depth, financial backing and execution complexity few projects can match.

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