Saudi Aramco is targeting start-up for its Haradh gas-oil separation plant 3 (GOSP-3) in the first quarter of 2006, four months ahead of schedule, according to a project update published on 6 April. GOSP-3 will have production capacities of 300,000 b/d of Arab Light crude and 140mn cfd of associated gas. GOSP-2 was completed in early 2004 (MEES, 26 January 2004). The project at present under way involves the manufacturing, construction, installation and assembly services, pre-commissioning and assistance during commissioning and start-up, for facilities located in three different Saudi Aramco plants: GOSP-3; a gas gathering facility (which also has a water/oil separation unit and a process control system), service areas, the control building and infrastructure and auxiliary works; a new gas turbine and a 12,000 gallons/minute sea water injection pump in GOSP-2; and a new booster pump with electric motor for the injection of seawater at the Hawiyah Water Injection Plant.
To transport products from Haradh GOSP-3 to the processing facilities at Abqaiq and 'Uthmaniyah, the project calls for the construction of 162km of crude and gas pipelines and extensions to the existing pipeline systems. Plans also call for more than 152km of pipelines to transport seawater and produced salt water for reservoir injection. The project is being carried out by Techint.
Qatif Field To Reach Capacity Later In 2005
Saudi oil expansion plans foresee the addition of a maximum 2.4mn b/d of production capacity by the end of 2010, according to MEES soundings. However, the latest increment to be brought on-stream, the Qatif/Abu Saʹfah project is not yet at full capacity with the Qatif field expected to be ramped up to full capacity later in 2005, MEES understands. Qatif/Abu Sa'fah will produce at peak incremental crude of 650,000 b/d, comprising 500,000 b/d of Arab Light from Qatif, while the offshore Abu Sa'fah field will double output to 300,000 b/d of Arab Medium. The Qatif development was originally designed to replace natural production declines from mature fields (running nationally at 2-3%) but was reconfigured as an increment after Saudi Aramco took improved oil recovery measures, such as the widespread use of submersible pumps, to stabilize production in mature fields.
