Saudi Aramco Posts 39% Jump in Third-quarter Profits

Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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Saudi Aramco Posts 39% Jump in Third-quarter Profits

Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Saudi Aramco on Tuesday posted a 39-percent jump in third-quarter profits year on year, the latest financial results boosted by higher oil prices and volumes sold.

The energy giant's net income totaled $42.4 billion -- up from $30.4 billion during the same period last year -- and was "primarily driven by higher crude oil prices and volumes sold", it said in a filing with the Saudi stock exchange.

CEO Amin Nasser touted the firm's "strong earnings and record free cash flow" of $45 billion, up from $28.7 billion at this time last year.

"While global crude oil prices during this period were affected by continued economic uncertainty, our long-term view is that oil demand will continue to grow for the rest of the decade given the world's need for more affordable and reliable energy," he said in a statement.

Aramco is Saudi Arabia's "crown jewel" and primary source of revenue.

Its strong performance has led to a banner economic year for Saudi Arabia, driving surpluses that could help finance plans to open up the kingdom and diversify its oil-reliant economy.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia reported a preliminary estimate of 8.6 percent economic growth in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year, "mainly due to the increase in oil activities".



Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has discussed with Canadian government ministers ways to bolster industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, opportunities for developing industrial innovation, and building an effective partnership to establish smart industrial cities in the Kingdom by leveraging Canadian expertise.

During his meeting with Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, and accompanied by National Industrial Development Center Chief Executive Saleh AlSulami, Alkhorayef underscored the Kingdom's commitment to benefiting from the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, to develop the industrial sector and create added value, while improving production efficiency in industrial facilities.

Meeting participants discussed enhancing cooperation in the field of industrial digitization, utilizing AI technologies to improve industrial processes, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in building smart industrial cities in the Kingdom, benefiting from Canadian advancements in digital infrastructure.

The two sides also discussed collaboration between the Kingdom and Canada in the field of innovation, including the partnership between the Saudi Ministry of Education and Metax, a Canadian research organization funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry with a focus on providing joint research opportunities for graduate and doctoral students in both countries.

During a meeting with Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen, Alkhorayef discussed ways to enhance economic relations and non-oil trade between the two countries, given the fact that the Kingdom is the largest trading partner for Canada in the Middle East and North Africa. The ministers reviewed the role of industrial development globally in advancing communities, increasing their well-being, and improving individuals' living standards.

Alkhorayef and Canada's Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MIHR) executive director Ryan Montpellier discussed opportunities to benefit from council's expertise in workforce human capabilities development strategies in the mining sector.

The meetings held by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are part of his visit to Canada, aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, exploring mutual opportunities in both sectors, and attracting foreign investments to the Kingdom.