Wasit — The Master Gas System

Harnessing the power of natural gas allows us to save crude oil for higher value uses, grow our chemicals business, and increase the use of this cleaner-burning fuel source in the Kingdom’s energy mix.

Wasit Gas Plant is one of the largest gas plants we have ever built, and was brought onstream in October 2015. It was designed to process solely nonassociated gas and it reached full operating capacity in 2016.

Adding Wasit to our portfolio represents a significant increase in our gas processing capacity. The project reflects our commitment to increasing supplies of cleaner-burning natural gas, reduce emissions, support new industries, and free up more crude oil for value-added refining and export.    

Our vision for development

A significant portion of our business portfolio centers on crude oil and its many uses. However, natural gas is an increasingly important product for power generation and encouraging industrial development in the Kingdom. Wasit allowed us to take a significant step forward in our ability to develop and supply a much sought-after product in our local market. 

The Wasit program inspired a wide range of innovative solutions. To accelerate the project development cycle, we made the most of our Event Solution Center, bringing together multidisciplinary experts to develop unique strategies for the project. This integrated model resulted in streamlined work processes and technologies, while ongoing assessments gave our project managers more clarity, saving time and costs.

Another outcome was the deployment of ‘big bore’ well completions — high-capacity wells, capable of producing gas at very high rates. This tactic significantly reduces the cost of production and gives us greater flexibility to meet demand.

We chose a site close to Jubail to be in easy reach of existing infrastructure, as well as other related projects, such as the Fadhili Gas Plant and the railroad project connecting Ma’aden to Ras Al-Khair. 

The Wasit project team could therefore control costs and increase efficiencies. For example essential utilities, such as electricity and water, were already available at Jubail and nearby Khursaniyah. Access roads from the Dhahran-Khafji Highway could also be readily extended to the site. 

Today, much of our nonassociated gas comes from offshore fields such as Hasbah and Arabiyah, so positioning the plant next to the coast was also a priority.

Wasit is part of the Master Gas System (MGS), a Kingdom-wide gas gathering, processing, and distribution infrastructure network. Gas produced at Wasit travels through the MGS to reach our customers in different locations throughout Saudi Arabia.

We began building the MGS in the 1970s to capture gas and use it as a new source of energy to fuel the fast-growing industrial sector, while setting the stage for greater up and downstream integration. As all of our oil and gas producing infrastructure resides within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the MGS created a unique source of competitive advantage.

To accommodate growing domestic demand, we are expanding the capacity of the MGS. Phase I of the expansion project was completed in January 2018, adding 1 billion scfd of capacity, raising the total capacity of the MGS to 9.6 billion scfd. The expanded system delivers increased supplies of natural gas to customers in the King Abdullah Economic City and the Rabigh area in the Western region.

Phase II of the expansion project is designed to raise capacity to 12.5 billion scfd. When complete, Phases I and II are planned to add more than 1,600km of pipelines to the system.

Wasit’s design reflects our plan to become self-sufficient in power generation. By converting waste heat to steam, Wasit can generate enough energy to satisfy the plant’s needs and still export power for use at other Saudi Aramco plants.

This process, known as cogeneration, allows us to produce electricity as a natural byproduct of our operations. Cogeneration means less fuel is needed to produce energy, enabling us to reduce our emissions. 

Behind the power of cogeneration is the power of people. More than 400 employees led the design and construction of the Wasit Gas Plant and its cogeneration facilities, many of whom were young graduates of our apprenticeship program.

This young team shouldered a big responsibility, as the cogeneration plant had to deliver power and steam to support the commissioning activities preparing for Wasit.

We aim to source as many goods and services as possible from local businesses for our construction projects. Approximately 40% of Wasit’s materials were bought and manufactured locally, advancing the diversification of the Kingdom’s economy and creating employment opportunities for Saudis in manufacturing plants.

Encouraging progress

Wasit, together with our Midyan, and Fadhili gas plants, will create opportunities for a wide variety of Saudi industries, such as steel, aluminum, petrochemicals, water desalination, and electricity production. It will also enable downstream value-added industries to produce antifreeze, solvent, fuels, and other advanced materials.

The combination of these delivers on our commitment to encouraging progress and prosperity, safely and sustainably.