Aramco begins production of unconventional tight gas at South Ghawar ahead of schedule

Saudi energy giant Aramco has initiated production of unconventional tight gas from its South Ghawar operational area, two months ahead of its schedule.

The accomplishment aligns with the company’s strategic plan to increase gas production by over 50 percent from 2021 levels, with the goal of meeting domestic demand by 2030, according to a press release.

Unconventional tight gas, also known as shale gas, is typically found in reserves where hydrocarbons are tightly trapped within rock layers, necessitating specialized techniques like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing for extraction.

Aramco Upstream President Nasir Al-Naimi said: “This first production of unconventional tight gas from South Ghawar is a milestone that demonstrates real progress on our gas expansion strategy, which we believe has a role to play in meeting the Kingdom’s needs for lower-emission energy and supporting growth in the chemicals sector.”

He added: “The ability to commence production two months ahead of schedule and below budget is (a) testament to the unwavering dedication of our people and their determination to continuously enhance our upstream operations.”

The commissioned facilities at South Ghawar currently have a processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day for raw gas and 38,000 barrels per day for condensate.

In response to the escalating demand for gas, Aramco said it plans to double the overall processing capacity, striving to achieve South Ghawar’s strategic target of delivering 750 million scfd of raw gas in the near future.

This follows Aramco’s previous achievement in unconventional gas extraction at the North Arabia field in 2018, where 240 million scfd were delivered to customers in Wa’ad Al-Shamal.

Simultaneously, Aramco is making progress at the Jafurah unconventional gas field, the largest liquid-rich shale gas play in the Middle East.