1200 Smith Street
Houston, TX 77002
Aramco Americas
P.O. Box 4534
Houston, TX 77002
43/F, 45/F20-26, China World Tower 3,
No.1 Jianguomenwai Avenue,
Chaoyang District,
Beijing, China 100004
Room 16T60, 16/F – SWFC, 100 Century Avenue,
Pudong District,
Shanghai 200120, China
15F, Paragon Center, No.1 Lianyue Road,
Siming District,
Xiamen 361012, Fujian, China
2A-0801, 8th Floor, Two Horizon Center, DLF 5,
Sector 43, Gurugram 122002,
Haryana, India
Level 32, Maxis Tower
Kuala Lumpur City Center
50088 Kuala Lumpur
We commenced construction of our Fadhili Gas Plant, located 30 km west of Jubail Industrial City, in late 2016. The facility is emblematic of our broader impact on not only increasing supplies of gas, but also driving economic growth, developing the Saudi workforce, and reducing emissions.
Designed to process up to 2.5 billion scfd of raw gas, Fadhili will be our first plant to treat nonassociated gas from both onshore and offshore fields, with start up planned in 2019.
The plant was designed from inception to use the Tail Gas Treatment process to reach the maximum sulfur recovery rate of 99.9%, helping protect air quality.
The project’s value extends well beyond the resources it will process: the development of Fadhili will add billions of dollars to the local economy, with an expectation that 40% of the plant’s materials and services to be sourced and manufactured in Saudi Arabia.
When completed, Fadhili Gas Plant will become a key component of the Kingdom’s Master Gas System.
We are expanding the gas processing capacity of our Hawiyah gas plant by more than 1 billion scfd. The new gas processing facilities, expected to be on stream in 2021, are anticipated to raise total production capacity of the plant to approximately 3.6 billion scfd, making it one of the largest gas processing facilities in the world.
We are making improvements to sustain gas production from both the Haradh and Hawiyah fields for the next 20 years and boost production by an average of 1.2 scfd. The program includes installing gas compression facilities, liquid separation stations, and transmission lines to our Haradh and Hawiyah gas plants, along with expanding the existing gas gathering pipeline network.
Karan, was our first non-associated offshore gas field development. Discovered in 2006 in the thickest, extremely prolific and complex carbonate layers, the project was fast-tracked, taking only six years to go from discovery to production.
Non-associated gas fields do not have an associated oil column and, therefore, can be accessed without producing oil. The raw gas is transported through a 110-kilometer subsea pipeline to the Khursaniyah Gas Plant for processing.
The natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery plant at Shaybah was commissioned and began production in late 2015, with a second processing train starting up in 2016. The plant will help us meet increasing demand for petrochemical feedstock by recovering valuable NGL from produced gas.
Designed to process as much as 2.4 billion scfd of associated gas and recover 275,000 bpd of ethane plus NGL, the Shaybah facility will feed these new volumes of NGL via pipeline to Ju’aymah for further processing before being delivered as petrochemical feedstock to industrial cities.
Wasit, one of the largest gas plants we have ever built, was brought onstream in October 2015 and reached full operating capacity in mid-2016. Unlike our other gas plants, Wasit is designed to process solely nonassociated gas.
To feed Wasit, we brought gas production onstream from the big bore nonassociated gas wells in our offshore Arabiyah and Hasbah fields, situated approximately 150 km northeast of Jubail Industrial City in the Arabian Gulf. With the startup of production from these two fields, more than 40% of our nonassociated gas now comes from offshore fields.
Our continued success in increasing supplies of cleaner burning natural gas makes it possible for us to reduce emissions, enable new industries and release more crude oil for value-added refining or export.
As the company's largest oil processing facility and the largest crude oil stabilization plant in the world, Abqaiq plays a pivotal role in our day-to-day operations.
Abqaiq oil facilities receive sour crude oil from gas-oil separation plants (GOSPs), process it into sweet crude oil, and then transport it to Ras Tanura and Jubail on the east coast, Yanbu' on the west coast and to Bapco Refinery in Bahrain. The off gases from the spheroids and stabilizer columns that are part of the conversion process are then sent to Abqaiq natural gas liquids (NGL) facilities for further processing.
Abqaiq is the main oil processing center for Arabian Extra Light and Arabian Light crude oils.
The northern-most portion of the Ghawar field lies approximately 100 kilometers west of Dhahran. The field comprises six main areas (Fazran, Ain Dar, Shedgum, Uthaminyah, Hawiyah and Haradh) and extends southward over more than 200 kilometers as one long continuous anticline. It is approximately 36 kilometers across at its widest point.
We believe that the Ghawar field is the largest oil field in the world in terms of conventional proved reserves, totaling 58.32 billion barrels of oil equivalent as at 31 December 2018. It has accounted for more than half of the total cumulative crude oil production in the Kingdom.
The Ghawar field facilities and infrastructure remain a central component in our long-term strategic framework for optimizing both technical recovery of resources and the economic of resource management.
The Haradh area, located at the southern tip of the Ghawar oil field, was developed in three increments of 300,000 bpd of Arabian Light crude oil capacity.
Haradh III was also the first plant in the Southern Area of company operations to have completely automated well control and monitoring, allowing remote operations. The project benefited from successful integration of four technologies: multilateral, maximum reservoir contact (MRC) wells; Smart Well completions (using control valves for preventing premature water breakthrough); geosteering (for optimal placement of wells in the reservoir for maximum recovery); and the “intelligent field” concept, in which real-time sub-surface data transmissions enable continual monitoring of key reservoir indicators. The integrated use of these four technologies slashed unit well development costs three-fold.
The Khurais complex, which comprises of the Abu Jifan and Mazalij fields in addition to Khurais itself, is approximately 106 kilometers long and 18 kilometers across at its widest point.
As of 31 December 2018, proved reserves at Khurais were 21.40 billion barrels of oil equivalent, including 20.10 billion barrels of liquid reserves.
The Khursaniyah program includes facilities to process and stabilize 500,000 bpd of Arabian Light crude oil blend from the Abu Hadriya, Fadhili and Khursaniyah fields, and a grassroots gas plant to process one billion scfd of associated gas.
Khursaniyah began producing oil in August 2008. The facility also has the capacity to inject 1.1 million bpd of non-potable water for reservoir pressure maintenance.
The UNESCO environmental responsibility award nominated Manifa crude oil development was designed to produce 900,000 bpd of Arabian Heavy crude oil, 90 million scfd of sour gas, and 65,000 bpd of hydrocarbon condensate.
By employing best-in-class technologies in infrastructure, drilling and production activities, the project consumed more than 80 million man hours without a lost time injury.
Prior to construction, extensive engineering and ecological assessments were conducted to ensure that the marine ecosystem would not be adversely affected by developing the field. As a direct result of these studies, Saudi Aramco constructed three kilometers of bridges to span the migration paths of various marine species, maintaining natural water flow and preserving natural marine nurseries.
Nuayyim crude oil increment added 100,000 bpd of Arabian Super Light crude oil and 90 million scfd of associated gas to our production capacity.
The project – the first in-Kingdom project of this scale with a project proposal completed entirely in Saudi Arabia – also included a gas-oil separation plant, 140 kilometers of 16” gas pipeline, and water supply facilities at Hawtah. Smokeless flaring has been used to significantly reduce emissions.
The field, which entered production in August 2009, is 250 kilometers south of Riyadh and about 50 kilometers northeast of our Hawtah crude oil facility, the first producing facility in the Central Region of Saudi Arabia.
Qatif Producing Plants Program consists of facilities to produce, process, and transport 500,000 bpd of blended Arabian Light crude oil from the Qatif field and 300,000 bpd of Arabian Medium crude oil from the offshore Abu Sa'fah field.
The Qatif facility was the first to produce Arabian Light crude oil by blending Arabian Extra Light, Light and Medium grades.
We believe that Safaniyah field is the world's largest conventional offshore oil field in terms of roved reserves. It is located approximately 260 kilometers north of Dhahran. Most of the field lies offshore in the Arabian Gulf. Within the Concession area, the Safaniyah field is approximately 50 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide.
As of December 2018, the proved reserves were 34.03 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The Shaybah field, located in the Rub’ al-Khali or Empty Quarter, was discovered in 1968. Its remote location, local summer temperatures in excess of 50 degrees Celsius and sand dunes higher than 300 meters presented serious challenges. So for technical and economic reasons, development was held off until 20 years later. However, by the 1990s, advances in 3D seismic imaging technology, horizontal drilling and other technologies gave us the tools we needed to begin production.
The field is approximately 13 kilometers wide and 64 kilometers long. Due to the field's remoteness, its facilities include a dedicated NGL recovery unit, an airfield and accommodation for staff.
Our second 250,000 bpd expansion project at Shaybah came on-stream in 2016, raising its overall production capacity to 1 million bpd of Arabian Extra Light crude oil — double the facility’s original capacity. As of December 2018, proved reserves were 14.86 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The Zuluf field is located in the Arabian Gulf, approximately 240 kilometers north of Dhahran, in average water depth of 118 feet. The field has two main structures, Zuluf and Ribyan, and is of similar area to Safaniyah to the north.
As of December 2018, Zuluf had proved reserves of 31.31 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Aramco operates one of the world’s largest refining businesses, and its integrated petrochemical refinery complex at Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries is part of the Company’s vibrant downstream growth strategy.
In 2020, Aramco confirmed that it would proceed with the divestment of the Jazan Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle Plant into a Joint Venture (JV) between Aramco, Air Products, ACWA Power, and Air Products Qudra, integrating the Air Separation Unit into the JV.
Once Aramco’s Jazan Refinery Complex is ready for full operations, expected in the first half of 2021, Aramco will have five wholly owned refineries within the Kingdom, three of which were built specifically to supply transportation and utility fuels for the domestic marketplace.
Hyundai Oilbank is a refinery in South Korea, established in 1964. The Daesan Complex, where Hyundai Oilbank’s major facilities are located, is a fully integrated refining plant with a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Aramco has a 17% equity interest in Hyundai Oilbank.
Idemitsu Kosan, one of leading refining and marketing companies in Japan, is a result of a merger between Idemitsu and Showa Shell Sekiyu. Its sales in Japan are primarily gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene and automotive lubricants. Idemitsu Kosan owns and operates more than 6,400 retail service stations, has equity stakes in six refineries, and a gross refining capacity of 945,000 bpd. Aramco owns a 7.7% equity interest in Idemitsu Kosan.
Motiva Enterprises, a fully owned affiliate of Saudi Aramco, operates the Port Arthur Refinery, the largest refinery in the U.S. at 635,000 bpd in Port Arthur, Texas. Motiva has acquired a 100% equity interest in Motiva Chemicals LLC (formerly Flint Hills), a chemical plant in Port Arthur, Texas.
Sinopec SenMei Petroleum Company Limited is a joint venture of Sinopec, ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited and Saudi Aramco Sino Company Limited. Sinopec SenMei, with headquarters in Fuzhou, is mainly engaged in the wholesale, retail, storage, throughput and transport of the processed oil, lubricant and other petroleum products, operation of convenience stores of service stations, car washing, lubricant replacement, restaurant and other auxiliary services.
Based in Maastricht, Netherlands, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, ARLANXEO serves the development, production, marketing, sale and distribution of specialty chemicals and synthetic rubber products, principally for the high-volume global tire and automotive industries.
A joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical. The products produced are used in such end products as plastics, detergents, lubricants, resins, coolants, anti-freeze, paint, carpets, rope, clothing, shampoo, auto interiors, epoxy glue, insulation, film, fibers, household appliances, packaging, candles, pipes and many other applications.
The Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co. (SATORP), a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Total in Jubail, supports Saudi Aramco’s efforts to expand the value chain and achieve maximum value from the Kingdom’s resources. It processes heavy Arabian crude daily into low-sulfur gasoline, diesel and jets fuel that comply with the standards in the United States, Europe and Japan. It also produces paraxylene, benzene, sulfur and pure petroleum coke that fuels cement plants and electric power stations.
Located in Yanbu' Industrial City on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, the world-class YASREF refinery has the capacity to refine 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Arabian heavy crude and produces over 13.5 million gallons per day of ultra-clean transportation fuels and other high-value refined products.
Our Technology Office in Aberdeen focuses on drilling and production technologies. The European arm of Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV) is located within the office, whose mission is to source and develop relationships with strategically significant and innovative energy technology companies.
Our Beijing Research Center conducts research on chemical enhanced oil recovery and advanced seismic imaging technologies, including automated fault detection and improvements in data quality through super resolution.
The Center is also evaluating the expansion of research activities into the downstream sector in areas such as transportation efficiency, greenhouse gas management, advanced control and power systems, robotics, materials science, nanotechnology and advanced computing.
Our CO2 Management Collaboration at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea, is dedicated to addressing issues related to carbon management. The collaboration follows an interdisciplinary approach to innovative and cost-effective CO2 capture, storage, and conversion from fixed and mobile sources.
The Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is home to our technology office that focuses mainly on seismic processing and subsurface imaging to help us better understand the nature of our subsurface geology.
Aramco Innovations Research Center
Leninskiye Gory 1 bldg 75-B
119234 Moscow
Russia
Our Aramco Fuel Research Center in Paris is located at IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPen). IFP Energies nouvelles is a public-sector research, innovation and training center active in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. Thanks to this strategic placement, we can capitalize on IFPen’s facilities and links to various European automakers to accelerate the innovation cycle of different fuel technologies.
Our research areas at our Dhahran headquarters include the Research & Development Center (R&DC) and the EXPEC Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC).
EXPEC ARC develops specialized technologies necessary to achieve its upstream objectives of increasing discovery of oil resources and increasing reservoir recovery. An expansion of the EXPEC Advanced Research Center is currently underway, with new facilities to enable integrated research on sustainability technologies.
Our R&DC focuses on cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational reliability, efficiency and safety, as well as investigating clean fuels and the management of carbon release.
Our research center at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) focuses on catalyst development, materials science, nanotechnology, robotics, solar energy materials and fuel technology. The strong capabilities provided in downstream areas are complemented by our FUELCOM collaboration with the KAUST Clean Combustion Research Center.
Aramco Research Center-Boston supports development in the areas of computational modeling, advanced materials, and nanotechnology. The center works on collaborative research projects with the nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) faculty, with a focus on modeling, visualization, simulation, and advanced materials.
Our Aramco Research Centers in Detroit, Houston, and Boston have a collaboration with the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) to support research by two Low-Carbon Energy Centers designed to address climate change challenges. The centers bring together researchers from multiple disciplines at MIT to engage with companies, governmental agencies, and other stakeholders to further research and promote clean energy technologies to mitigate climate change.
Our Aramco Research Center in Detroit focuses on competitive transportation solutions, improving the efficiency of current and future engines, reducing overall environmental impact, cost, and complexity of engine systems.
The Center can accommodate light-duty and heavy-duty fuels research programs and also offers full on-site integration and the demonstration of new vehicle technologies. Our Strategic Transportation Analysis Team, based in the Detroit Center, provides dynamic industry analysis relevant to our fuels research and development activities.
Aramco Research Center in Houston focuses on upstream technologies for conventional and unconventional resources to support discovery and recovery goals. Specific areas of research include advanced seismic imaging, unconventional productivity enhancement, smart fluids to improve well productivity, nano-based polymers, surfactants, cement technologies related to drilling operations, quantitative geology, and advanced downhole sensors. It is our largest center outside Saudi Arabia.
아람코 해양 에너지 생산의 핵심인 ‘해양부(Marine Department)’ 심층 탐구
아람코는 아라비아만에서 홍해에 이르는 사우디아라비아 해안에 걸쳐 세계 최대 규모의 해상 유전을 운영하고 있다.
아람코 해양 시설 운영의 중심에는 해양부가 있다. 조직 전반의 이해관계자들과 협력하며 탐사·시추부터 생산·석유 수출에 이르기까지 광범위한 해양 사업의 거의 모든 단계를 관리하는 부서이다. 350척이 넘는 선박과 8,000명 이상의 직원 및 계약직 작업자를 운영하는 해양부는 해상 석유시설이 원활하게 운영되도록 해상 승무원 이송, 환경 복원, 해저 유지보수 업무도 담당하고 있다.
아람코의 대규모 해양 프로젝트는 탐사로부터 시작되며, 이를 위해 해양부는 탄성파 탐사를 위한 조사선을 파견하고 잠재적 해양 시추 지점을 파악하는 등 전반적인 지원을 제공한다. 석유와 가스가 매장된 지점이 확인되면, 해양부는 유정과 가스정의 시추를 위한 수천톤에 달하는 해양 리그를 시추 지점에 자리잡기 위해 예인선을 배치한다. 시추 과정에서는 기상, 해류, 파도 등을 모니터링하여 시추가 안전하게 진행되도록 한다.
해양부는 에너지 생산 지원 외에도 약 30,000 명의 해상 작업자에게 교통, 숙박, 식사를 제공하는 서비스 제공자로, 어려운 환경에서도 작업자들이 편안하게 작업을 수행할 수 있도록 지원한다. 시추선 승무원의 안전한 수송을 위해 최대 235명의 승객을 수용할 수 있고 갑판 공간이 6,318평방피트인 고속 승무원 이송선 2척을 포함한 해상 버스 서비스를 활용하고 있다. 해상 버스는 사파니야, 마니파, 줄루프, 마르잔 해상 유전에서 운행되며 연간 약 55,000명의 승객을 수송한다.
아람코의 해저 인프라를 지키는 아람코 포화 잠수사
필수 장비를 모두 갖춘 잠수사
아람코 잠수사들은 안전을 최우선으로 하여, 아람코 해저 인프라의 유지와 발전에 필요한 모든 장비를 갖추고 있다.
아람코는 해양 시설 운영을 지원하기 위해 다양한 선박을 소유·운영하고 있다.
아람코의 예인선은 심해에서 전 세계로 안정적인 에너지를 공급하는 데 핵심적인 역할을 한다.
해양부는 원활한 석유 흐름을 유지하기 위해 해저 인프라의 유지보수 작업을 수행한다. 유지보수 작업에는 해저 파이프를 신속하게 수리하는 등 예방 및 대응 조치가 모두 포함된다. 이를 위해 해양부의 전문 잠수팀이 바지선, 선박, 플랫폼, 파이프라인 등 아람코 해양 자산의 수중 검사, 수리, 유지보수에서 핵심적인 역할을 담당한다. 매년 아람코 잠수사들은 72개 플랫폼과 650km의 해저 파이프라인을 선제적으로 점검하여 자산 수명 연장에 기여하고 있다.
석유가 생산되면 해양부는 전 세계에 안전하게 에너지를 공급하는 책임을 맡게 된다. 예인선으로 유조선을 터미널 내 탄화수소 선적을 위한 지점으로 예인하며, 이 과정은 최대 48시간이 소요될 수 있다. 효율적인 유조선 운영은 공급망의 무결성을 유지하고 에너지 수요를 충족하는 데 핵심적인 역할을 하며, 이는 전 세계에 에너지를 공급하는 과정에서 해양부가 수행하는 중요한 역할을 잘 보여준다.
선적이 완료되면 고도로 훈련된 아람코의 항만 도선사가 터미널에서 유조선을 예인하여 아람코의 제품이 사우디아라비아에서 전 세계로 수송되도록 하는 중추적인 임무를 수행한다.
해양부가 수행하는 또 다른 중요한 업무는 광활하고 분주한 해상 환경에서 발생할 수 있는 충돌을 방지하기 위해 선박 교통을 관리하는 것이다. 이를 통해 탄화수소를 수송하는 수백 척의 선박이 해외 시장으로 안전하게 이동하게 한다.
“우리는 항상 경계를 늦추지 말아야 한다. 우리의 근무 시간은 9시부터 5시까지가 아니다. 24시간, 주 7일이 근무 시간이다.”
“단 하나의 작은 실수가 심각한 결과를 초래할 수 있기 때문에 실수는 허용되지 않는다. 따라서, 우리 팀은 에너지가 지속적으로 시장에 안정적이고 안전하게 공급될 수 있도록 밤낮 없이 최선을 다해 노력한다.”
아지즈 S. 카르니(Aziz S. Qarni)
라스 타누라 및 서부 지역 해양운영 책임자
혁신과 디지털화는 안전과 효율성 향상을 위해 끊임없이 노력하는 해양부의 운영에 매우 중요하다.
2024년 현재 약 60척의 선박에 SmartShip이라는 디지털 플랫폼이 설치되어 있다. SmartShip 기술은 1,000개 이상의 센서와 인공 지능을 활용하여 선박의 디지털 트윈을 생성하고, 선박의 실시간 모니터링, 분석, 진단 및 문제 해결을 지원한다. 이 기술을 통해 선박에서 검색된 데이터를 지속적으로 신속하게 수집하여, 선박의 성능과 에너지 소비를 모니터링하고 평가할 수 있다.
해양부는 아람코의 방대한 해저 자산 포트폴리오를 점검할 수 있는 도구를 갖춘 수중 로봇을 사용한다. 이를 통해 잠수사의 개입을 최소화하고, 자산의 수명을 보장하며 작업의 전반적인 안전성을 향상시킨다.
또한 해양부는 해상 및 해양 활동의 지속가능성을 보장하기 위해 노력하고 있다. 예를 들어, 타나집 해양 시설에서는 해양 폐기물을 제품 원료로 재활용하는 것을 목표로 하는 해양 폐기물 재활용 프로그램을 시행하고 있다. 타나집 시설 지역은 해상 도시와 같은 곳으로, 9개 유전에서 500개 이상의 자산이 운영된다. 170척 이상의 선박과 수천 명의 인력이 세계 최대 규모의 해양 석유 작업을 원활하게 운영하는 데 필요한 다양한 지원을 제공한다. 2023년에는 재활용 프로그램을 통해 타나집 시설에서 1,200톤 이상의 폐기물을 성공적으로 분류하고 재활용했다.
파이프라인 유지보수와 탐사 지원부터 시추 지원, 선박 교통 관리에 이르기까지, 아람코 해양부는 광범위한 업무를 수행하는 독특한 특징을 가지고 있다. 해양 에너지 생산에는 많은 작업이 수반되며, 해양부는 사우디아라비아 해역에서 전 세계 시장으로 에너지가 지속적으로 공급되도록 24시간 운영된다.