State-run oil giant Saudi Aramco expects to complete its Manifa oil field project in the Eastern Province by 2015 compared with an earlier date of mid-2013.

According to an Aramco statement, the projected completion date for developing the Manifa oil field is 2015 although it is unclear if it may bring some oil production online before then.

The state-run firm expects to deliver 900,000 barrels a day (b/d) of oil, 900 million cubic feet a day of associated gas and 65,000 b/d of condensate.

Aramco says a causeway system linking to the offshore oil field will be 60 per cent complete by the end of 2009. The facility connects 27 man-made islands in the shallow waters which will serve as platforms for wells.

Saudi Arabia has oil capacity of 12.5 million b/d, but in November only pumped about 8.2 million b/d of current capacity.