New Investments: 500,000 SQM of Saudi Industrial Areas

Saudi Arabia is working to attract local and international investments to advance the industrial sector in the country. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is working to attract local and international investments to advance the industrial sector in the country. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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New Investments: 500,000 SQM of Saudi Industrial Areas

Saudi Arabia is working to attract local and international investments to advance the industrial sector in the country. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is working to attract local and international investments to advance the industrial sector in the country. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi industrial zones managed to attract local and international investments with areas exceeding half a million square meters, after launching a package of products aimed at creating unique opportunities, providing assistance and stimulating programs for investors.

A recent report issued by the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) - a copy of which was received by Asharq Al-Awsat - revealed that local and international investments over the past year exceeded a total value of 2.8 billion riyals (USD746 million).

During the past year, MODON signed contracts to develop and invest ready-made factories of various sizes in the industrial city of Asir, the third industrial city in Jeddah, and the third industrial city in Riyadh to serve entrepreneurs, in addition to allocating service land to complete the services system in the industrial city of Wa’ad Al-Shamal, the first industrial city in Asir, and the first industrial city in Jeddah.

MODON offers a range of innovative, diversified and highly reliable products that support the Saudi government’s continuous plans to advance the industrial sector, and contribute to diversifying sources of income, as one of the pillars of national industry empowerment and leadership.

MODON provides industrial land with developed infrastructure and services with different areas starting with 1,700 square meters to meet the needs of industrial investors, supports owners of small and medium enterprises to carry out their industrial activities, and establishes ready-made, full-service factories with various areas ranging between 700 to 1,500 square meters for investment partners and entrepreneurs.



US Coast Guard Says Hurricane May Shut Oil Ports

 Vehicles are carried by ferry across Aransas Pass as Hurricane Beryl moves closer to the Texas coast, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Port Aransas, Texas. (AP)
Vehicles are carried by ferry across Aransas Pass as Hurricane Beryl moves closer to the Texas coast, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Port Aransas, Texas. (AP)
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US Coast Guard Says Hurricane May Shut Oil Ports

 Vehicles are carried by ferry across Aransas Pass as Hurricane Beryl moves closer to the Texas coast, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Port Aransas, Texas. (AP)
Vehicles are carried by ferry across Aransas Pass as Hurricane Beryl moves closer to the Texas coast, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Port Aransas, Texas. (AP)

The US Coast Guard warned of possible Texas port closures from Corpus Christi to Houston and began restricting vessel traffic because of Tropical Storm Beryl, which is expected to become a hurricane before making landfall by Monday morning at Port Lavaca.

Port closures could bring to a temporary halt shipments of crude oil to refineries and motor fuels from those plants.

Port condition "Yankee" was set by the Coast Guard captain of the port of Corpus Christi on Saturday afternoon, restricting vessel movement in ports from Matagorda Bay, 101 miles (163 km) southwest of Houston, to the US-Mexico border.

Citgo Petroleum Corp was cutting production at its 165,000 barrel-per-day Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery on Saturday ahead of the approach of Beryl to the Texas coast.

Citgo plans to keep the Corpus Christi refinery running at minimum production as the storm moves up the coast toward a projected landfall at Port Lavaca, a pipeline hub.

Oil producer Shell Plc completed the evacuation of workers from its Perdido production platform in the US-regulated Gulf of Mexico ahead of the approach of the storm, the company said on Friday night.

Production on Perdido was shut prior to the evacuations. Shell said it also evacuated workers from the Whale platform, which is due to start production later this year.

Gibson Energy, which operates a large oil terminal in Corpus Christi, said operations were continuing, but it would take further steps depending on the forecast.

The storm was moving on Saturday with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph (95 kmh), the National Hurricane Center said.

The latest forecasts would put Corpus Christi on the dry side of the storm where the lowest winds and least rain could be expected. But Beryl could bring gale-force winds to the port, which is why the Coast Guard restricts traffic or shuts the port.

Most of the northern Gulf's offshore oil and gas production is east of Beryl's forecast track.

US Gulf of Mexico offshore production of about 1.8 million barrels per day accounts for about 14% of total US crude output, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Any impact on supplies could push up prices of US oil and offshore crude grades.

Oil major Chevron Corp, among the biggest US offshore producers, said on Friday that production from its operated assets remained normal. But it evacuated nonessential personnel from some of its Gulf of Mexico facilities.

Murphy Oil Corp said it has not shut in production or evacuated personnel, and continues to monitor the storm.