Saudi Aramco has announced the achievement of significant progress in its plan to expand gas production, with the start of production at the Jafurah field, the largest unconventional gas field in the Middle East, and the commencement of operational activities at the Tanajib Gas Plant, one of the largest gas plants in the world.
The oil giant aims to increase its sales gas production capacity by approximately 80 per cent by 2030 compared to 2021 production levels, reaching nearly six million barrels of oil equivalent per day from total gas and associated liquids production, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
This is expected to generate additional operating cash flows ranging between $12bn and $15bn in 2030, subject to future demand for sales gas and liquids prices.
Saudi Aramco president and CEO Amin Al Nasser said: “We are proud to commence production at the Jafurah field and begin operations at the Tanajib Gas Plant. These are major achievements for Saudi Aramco and the future of energy in the kingdom. Our ambitious gas programme is expected to become a key source of profitability.”
He affirmed that these mega-projects contribute to meeting the growing domestic demand for gas, supporting industrialisation and development in several key sectors, in addition to producing significant quantities of high-value liquids.
The gas extracted from the Jafurah field is expected to support the kingdom’s growth targets in key sectors such as energy, artificial intelligence, major industries and petrochemicals, potentially providing a major boost to the kingdom’s economy and strengthening its position among the world’s top 10 gas producers.
Aramco began first producing unconventional shale gas from the Jafurah field in December 2025, with technology playing a pivotal role in unlocking the potential of the Jafurah field and establishing it as a global benchmark for unconventional gas development.
Since its inception, the project has leveraged technology to help reduce drilling and stimulation costs and enhance well productivity, contributing to its strong economic prospects.
The Jafurah area covers 17,000 sqkm and is estimated to contain 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas and 75bn barrels of condensates. The Jafurah field project aims to produce 2bn standard cubic feet per day of sales gas, 420 million standard cubic feet per day of ethane, and approximately 630,00 barrels per day of gas liquids and condensates by 2030.
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