Saudi Energy Consortium to Obtain USD 5.6 Billion for Financial Closure

Saudi ports handled 814,000 standard containers in August, including transshipment containers. (SPA)
Saudi ports handled 814,000 standard containers in August, including transshipment containers. (SPA)
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Saudi Energy Consortium to Obtain USD 5.6 Billion for Financial Closure

Saudi ports handled 814,000 standard containers in August, including transshipment containers. (SPA)
Saudi ports handled 814,000 standard containers in August, including transshipment containers. (SPA)

Information on Tuesday revealed that the consortium of companies owning the Jazan Gasification and Energy Production Complex in Jazan Economic City, which includes the oil giant Aramco, is in the process of obtaining financing worth about USD 5.6 billion for the financial closure.

Sources quoted by CNBC Arabia said that the total debt in financing the project amounted to about USD 7.2 billion, while the other part would be financed through a soft loan from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, at a value of USD 1.6 billion.

According to the sources, around 22 local banks will compete to provide financing. Standard Chartered and French Capital would provide financial advisory services, while White & Case would present deliver advisory services to Aramco.

According to official data, the ownership structure of the project is distributed to the American company Air Products by about 46%, Aramco by about 20%, and ACWA Power by about 25%.

The new project – an integrated power plant with gasification and combined cycle technologies in Jazan – will have a production capacity of around 3800 megawatts of electricity, about 184,000 cubic meters of hydrogen per hour, and steam at about 585,000 tons per hour.

Meanwhile, Saudi ports handled 814,000 standard containers in August, including transshipment containers, registering an increase of 20.4 percent, by more than 457,000 standard containers. Cargo handled amounted to more than 25 million tons, while the number of ships witnessed an increase of 8.1 percent, by 1,119 ships.

According to the statistical index issued by the General Authority of Ports, Saudi Ports achieved a remarkable increase of 134.7% in the total number of passengers (by 70,000 passengers), in addition to a rise in the number of cars by 61.7 percent, representing an increase of 74,000 cars.



Iraq to Sign Deal with Halliburton to Develop Nahr Bin Omar Oilfield

Participants observe a presentation at Halliburton's booth at the World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, US December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Liz Hampton/File Photo
Participants observe a presentation at Halliburton's booth at the World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, US December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Liz Hampton/File Photo
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Iraq to Sign Deal with Halliburton to Develop Nahr Bin Omar Oilfield

Participants observe a presentation at Halliburton's booth at the World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, US December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Liz Hampton/File Photo
Participants observe a presentation at Halliburton's booth at the World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, US December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Liz Hampton/File Photo

Iraq and US oil services firm Halliburton are close to finalizing an agreement to develop the Nahr Bin Omar oilfield, the head of Iraq's Basra Oil Company (BOC) told Reuters on Thursday.

Bassem Abdul Karim, director general of state-run BOC, said Iraq's oil ministry and Halliburton are expected to sign a confidentiality agreement in the coming days, after which Iraq will provide Halliburton with data on the Nahr Bin Omar field and its installations.

Under the deal, Halliburton will help Iraq in increasing production at the field to 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), Abdul Karim said, though he did not specify a timeline. The field currently produces around 50,000 bpd, Reuters reported.

"Halliburton will also help Iraq to produce 300 million cubic feet of gas from the field", said Abul Karim.

Abdul Karim said oil production at the West Qurna 1 field, operated by PetroChina in southern Iraq, is expected to reach 750,000 bpd by the end of 2025, up from the current 550,000 bpd. PetroChina holds the largest stake in the field following Exxon's exit.

To reduce its gas import bill, Iraq has selected China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC) to develop a $1.7 billion gas project at the Nahr Bin Omar field, which will produce 300 million standard cubic feet (mscf) of gas, according to the BOC manager.

"We are in talks with CPECC to reduce the project's cost, and final signing is imminent," he said.

Asked about the impact of the latest sanctions targeting Russia on the global crude supplies and if Iraq is ready to lift production, Abdul Karim said Iraq has the capacity to increase its oil production by 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) immediately if asked by OPEC.

Iraq's oil exports from its southern ports averaged 3.232 million bpd in December, he added.