A key gas processing expansion project in Saudi Arabia is on track to be completed this year. The 1.07bn cfd Hawiyah gas plant expansion is being developed by Italy’s Saipem under a 2017 contract (MEES, 15 December 2017). Gas shortages mean that Saudi Arabia power and water desalination plants have to burn upwards of 1mn b/d of liquids over the summer high demand period.

In order to tackle this, Aramco aims to increase gas processing capacity from its current 18.4bn cfd to 22bn cfd by 2025 (MEES, 25 March). Aramco CEO Amin Nasser aims to increase sales gas production by 50% by 2030 not just to displace liquids from the power sector, but also to supply feedstock for an expanding petrochemicals sector and planned blue hydrogen facilities. (CONTINUED - 311 WORDS)