Riyadh | BETH

Saudi Aramco has commenced production from the Jafurah field, the largest unconventional gas field in the Middle East, in a move that represents a strategic transformation in the Kingdom’s energy structure and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a global gas power alongside its historic oil dominance.

Jafurah stands as a key pillar of Vision 2030, aimed at diversifying income sources and redefining the role of energy within the national economy.

Location: Extending the Energy Core

The field is located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, southeast of the Ghawar field — the largest oil field in the world — within Al-Ahsa Governorate. It spans approximately 17,000 square kilometers between the Arabian Gulf coast to the east and the Al-Summan Plateau to the west, specifically southeast of Al-Hofuf and northwest of Salwa.

The field extends about 170 km in length and 100 km in width. Discovered by Aramco in 2014, it contains massive reserves of wet gas and condensates, making it a strategic anchor within the Kingdom’s evolving energy system.

Numbers That Reshape the Equation

Reserves:

229 trillion cubic feet of gas

75 billion barrels of condensates

Target Production:

2 billion cubic feet of gas per day

630,000 barrels per day of condensates and liquids

420 million cubic feet per day of ethane

Total investments exceed $100 billion, with expected annual cash flows between $12 and $15 billion.

Yet the true strategic impact lies beyond volume. By replacing oil with gas in domestic power generation, Saudi Arabia can free up additional crude for export without increasing overall oil production — enhancing revenue efficiency rather than merely expanding output.

Strategic Statement

Amin Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco, stated that the start of production at Jafurah and the launch of operations at Tanajib mark significant progress toward the company’s plan to increase commercial gas production capacity by approximately 80% by 2030 compared to 2021 levels.

He noted that this expansion strengthens the role of gas in supporting economic growth, meeting rising domestic demand, and providing high-value liquids that support industrial development.

An Industrial Lever

The project will supply substantial volumes of ethane and gas liquids, accelerating petrochemical expansion, enhancing industrial competitiveness, lowering production costs, and deepening domestic value chains.

Jafurah is not merely an energy project — it is a long-term industrial platform.

BETH Reading

Jafurah is not an operational update — it is an announcement of transition.

A transition from oil-centric dominance
to a dual-energy model that provides Saudi Arabia with broader flexibility, greater financial stability, and expanded influence in global energy markets.

If oil defined the Kingdom’s geopolitical weight for decades, gas now opens a wider strategic horizon in the era of energy transition.

In the new energy equation, Saudi Arabia is not simply increasing production —
it is redefining its role.