Partner Content

Inside Saudi Arabia’s water market

Water projects across Saudi Arabia – desalination, wastewater, transmission and storage – are booming. The flow of investment is only likely to increase as barriers to entry fall and the floodgates open to newcomers from across the globe

By SWPC

Saudi Aramco has known about the offshore Manifa oil field for decades, but due to the high sulphur content of the oil and gas, it only started development in 2009.

Initial production came from the field located off the coast of the Eastern Province in early 2013. Manifa will eventually produce 900,000 barrels a day (b/d) when fully operational, as well as 120 million cubic feet a day of natural gas.

The offtake will not increase the kingdom’s 12.5 million b/d crude oil capacity, but will instead alleviate production pressure on existing onshore fields that are maturing.

The $9.28bn project has included the construction of 27 man-made islands in shallow waters. The developments will serve as platforms for wells at the field. A causeway as well as onshore facilities have also been built, which will process the sulphur-rich crude from Manifa.

The crude is also expected to feed Aramco’s new oil refineries at Jubail and Yanbu. Both have been built with the ability to handle heavier and more sulphur-rich crude types.