Saudi Aramco Karan Gas Project on fast track pace

It is reported that the most recent signing is set for Saturday, February 28 for the utilities and cogenerations contract which was won by UK-based Petrofac. OGNB has been told that the Petrofac Saudi operations will be led by Executive Director Imad S hanan - a seasoned veteran of several global projects -- and will provide engineering, procurements and construction services under a lump sum, turnkey contract worth nearly a half-billion dollars.

Among several other well-known service providers, Foster Wheeler was awarded a front-end engineering design (FEED) and program management services contract. Hundai Engineering & Construction will build a gas-processing unit.

The Karan Gas project promises to quickly enhance the economic and natural resources in the kingdom in the coming years.

"The Karan project will push economic development and enhance the hydrocarbon resources in the kingdom by increasing sales gas production capacity in commercial quantities. That gas, estimated at more than one billion standard cubic feet per day, when linked to the Master Gas System will provide fuel and feedstock to petrochemical industries and will provide jobs for Saudi citizens,"

Ali A. Al-Ajmi, vice president, project management, Saudi Aramco, has said.

Demand for gas is soaring in oil-rich Saudi Arabia as the government pushes ahead with plans to promote domestic industries with high gas requirements such as petrochemicals and aluminum. The plan is to diversify the local economy and create jobs for a fast-rising, young population.

The Karan field, located offshore northeast of the industrial city of Jubail in the Arabian Gulf, is estimated to contain 9 trillion cubic feet of gas. The project comprises the construction of three main facilities - a gas processing unit utilities, and cogenerations at the Khursaniyah gas plant, platforms, and a subsea pipeline.