State-run oil giant Saudi Aramco has awarded a communications contract covering its 900,000 barrel a day (b/d) Manifa oil field project to Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation.

The contract covers the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of communications systems for the Manifa field.

It follows Sumitomo winning a $200m communications package on Aramco’s planned 400,000-b/d Jubail export refinery in June.

The Jubail deal covers the supply and installation of a communications system to serve the refinery and associated facilities.

The Manifa field should produce 900,000 b/d of Arabian Heavy crude, 120 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of sour gas, 50,000 b/d of condensate and 950,000 b/d of water.