Saudi Aramco plans to start a new phase of the Jafura gas plant construction next year which will increase the company’s production to 3 billion standard cubic feet of unconventional gas, announced Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser.
Nasser was speaking on Wednesday at the two-day al-Ahsa Investment Forum organized by al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“The plant is part of Saudi Aramco's plan to produce 3 billion standard cubic feet of unconventional gas over the next decade,” he said.
The Forum kicked off under the patronage of Emir of Eastern Province Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, with the attendance of al- Ahsa Governor and Head of the Higher Committee organizing the event Prince Badr bin Muhammad, and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid al-Falih.
On the localization of industries and services, Nasser also announced that the company has launched the construction of the King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), located between al-Ahsa and Dammam.
He explained that this mega project and pioneering park will be an ideal environment for attracting local and global investments and for creating more jobs for the Saudi people.
Aramco’s CEO noted that the company plans to establish a large and modern driving school for women in al-Mubarraz to train thousands of female candidate drivers annually.
It will be managed by qualified Saudi women, and it will train both Saudi Aramco female employees and Saudi women in general.
Minister Falih noted that al-Ahsa has become a center for oil and petrochemical industries, saying it will provide many opportunities for the private sector to invest in supply chains and become a vital center and logistics platform.
He added that the forum comes in line with the major transformations taking place in the Kingdom under Vision 2030.
In its fifth edition, al-Ahsa forum seeks promising investment opportunities in the city, Falih said, stressing the important role the private sector plays in achieving the vision’s objectives.
He also discussed the economic and geographical advantages of the region, its vast natural resources and its role in supporting the economic development of the Kingdom.
In a televised speech, Minister of Trade and Investment Majid al-Qasabi praised the successful strategic partnership between al-Ahsa Chamber and Aramco in organizing the Forum.
He stated that at this stage, it is required to explore and identify the enormous investment opportunities highlighted by Vision 2030.
The Minister also warned that both the public and private sectors face great challenges, calling for joint efforts to achieve the ambitions and aspirations of the next phase.
He pointed out that the region has many investment opportunities.
Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Abdullatif al-Arfaj announced that al-Ahsa's gross domestic product (GDP) is about 26 percent of the total local production of the Eastern Region and about 16 percent of the Kingdom's GDP.
He also indicated that the number of institutions and companies in al-Ahsa has grown significantly, reaching some 36,000 establishments in various sectors.
