Aramco Awards $18bn in Contracts to Boost Marjan, Berri Oilfields’ Production

File photo of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters/File Photo)
File photo of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters/File Photo)
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Aramco Awards $18bn in Contracts to Boost Marjan, Berri Oilfields’ Production

File photo of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters/File Photo)
File photo of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters/File Photo)

Saudi Aramco announced on Tuesday that it has awarded 34 contracts with a total value of $18 billion for the engineering, procurement and construction of the Marjan and Berri increment programs.

The company revealed its plans to increase the Marjan and Berri fields’ production capacity by 550,000 barrels per day of Arabian Crude Oil and 2.5 billion standard cubic feet a day (BSCFD) of gas.

“These two programs will significantly enhance Saudi Aramco’s oil production and gas processing capabilities, both strengthening our position as the leading integrated energy supplier and meeting growing long-term demand for petroleum,” said Amin H. Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco.

“These investments will support our continued focus on employing best-in-class technologies, well completion, and reservoir management practices. It will enable Saudi Aramco to further reduce the carbon intensity of our crude oils, supporting our strategy of reducing emissions while providing energy to those who need it,” he added.

Saudi companies make up 50 percent of the awarded contracts and they are high- caliber firms that have proven their ability to handle complex projects.

Contractors working on these projects are required to maximize the procurement of material and equipment from local suppliers and manufacturers to help achieve

According to the company, the projects are expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, supporting Saudi Aramco's efforts to localize and create new job opportunities.

The Marjan increment program is an integrated development project for oil, associated gas, non-associated gas and cap gas from the Marjan offshore field.

Meanwhile, through the Berri increment program, the company plans to add 250,000 barrels of Arabian Light Crude per day from the offshore oilfield.



Oil Prices Up on Hopes of US Rate Cuts Boosting Fuel Demand

Hawk Dunlap, an oil well control specialist, and Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas lawyer, survey an excavated pumpjack with a leaking surface casing in Ward County, Texas, US, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
Hawk Dunlap, an oil well control specialist, and Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas lawyer, survey an excavated pumpjack with a leaking surface casing in Ward County, Texas, US, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
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Oil Prices Up on Hopes of US Rate Cuts Boosting Fuel Demand

Hawk Dunlap, an oil well control specialist, and Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas lawyer, survey an excavated pumpjack with a leaking surface casing in Ward County, Texas, US, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
Hawk Dunlap, an oil well control specialist, and Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas lawyer, survey an excavated pumpjack with a leaking surface casing in Ward County, Texas, US, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Oil prices rose on Thursday, supported by optimism potential US interest rate cuts will boost economic activity and fuel consumption though concerns over slower global demand curbed gains.
Brent crude futures climbed 17 cents, or 0.21%, to $79.93 a barrel by 0348 GMT, recovering some of the previous day's losses. US West Texas Intermediate crude increased by 21 cents, or 0.27%, to $77.19 per barrel.
Both benchmarks fell more than 1% on Wednesday after US crude inventories rose unexpectedly and on easing worries about a wider Middle East conflict.
US consumer prices rose moderately in July and the annual increase in inflation slowed to below 3% for the first time in nearly 3-1/2 years, reinforcing expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month, said Reuters.
"We saw a correction in Asia trade as the oil market was oversold on Wednesday," said Yuki Takashima, economist at Nomura Securities, adding that investors are betting the Fed could start cutting rates next month.
"Still, oil prices are expected to stay under pressure going forward as concerns persist that global demand, especially in China, will be sluggish," Takashima said, predicting WTI will head towards the $72 mark in early August.
Supporting prices further were investor worries over Iran's potential response to the killing of the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas last month. Three senior Iranian officials have said that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination.
"Geopolitical risk continues to hang over the oil market. It is still unclear how and if Iran will retaliate against Israel following the assassination of the political leader of Hamas on Iranian soil," said ING analysts Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey in a client note.
"This uncertainty has led to increased options trading activity with market participants wanting to protect themselves from significant upside."
Separately, oil inventory gains raised concerns of weaker demand, analysts at ANZ said in a client note. US crude oil stockpiles rose by 1.4 million barrels in the week ended Aug. 9, compared with estimates for a 2.2 million barrel draw, building for the first time since late June.
Earlier this week, the International Energy Agency trimmed its 2025 estimate for oil demand growth, citing the impact of a weakened Chinese economy on consumption. That came after OPEC cut expected demand for 2024 for similar reasons.
China's factory output growth slowed in July while refinery output fell for a fourth month, underscoring the country's spotty economic recovery.