Aramco Gas Expansion: What It Means for Equipment Demand

Aramco's gas programme is one of the largest sources of construction work in the Kingdom. Two published award rounds show the scale: Jafurah phase two and Master Gas System phase three. This article summarises those figures and turns them into a practical picture of what rental equipment gas projects consume. It is general market information based on trade reporting, and it does not describe any contract we hold.

The published awards

Aramco's 2024 gas awards included Jafurah phase two, with 16 contracts worth about USD 12.4 billion covering gas compression, plant expansion and new NGL fractionation in Jubail. Master Gas System phase three added 15 turnkey contracts worth about USD 8.8 billion to add about 3.15 Bcfd of capacity by 2028, with roughly 4,000 km of pipeline and 17 new compression trains.

To put it plainly: roughly 4,000 km of pipeline and 17 compression trains are not delivered by a few machines. They are delivered by fleets that change as the work front moves along the corridor.

Pipeline corridors: a moving work front

Pipeline construction moves in a line. Clearing and grading come first, then trenching, stringing, welding, lowering and backfill, with crews working in sequence along the corridor. That pattern favours rental: an excavator fleet needed for trenching in one month may not be needed after backfill, and the machines move on to the next spread. Dump trucks haul spoil and bedding material, while telehandlers and cranes handle pipe sections in the material yard.

Compression stations and plant sites

Each compression train needs a prepared pad, foundations, a heavy lift for the compressor and driver, and then piping, electrical and instrumentation work. Cranes, boom lifts and scissor lifts dominate this stage. Generators and light towers support night shifts, and compressors and water pumps support testing. Because plant sites are often far from towns, the logistics of getting and servicing equipment matter as much as the price.

Equipment these jobs call for

• Excavators and dump trucks for corridors and pads
• Cranes and telehandlers for compressors, pipe and modules
• Boom and scissor lifts for piping and structure at height
• Generators and light towers for remote work
• Welding machines and compressors

Planning for the long corridor

Two things go wrong most often on corridor work: equipment sits at the wrong end of a long line, and transport is not booked early enough. Ask for a mobilisation plan that shows where each machine starts and where it moves next. Agree fuel and servicing arrangements along the corridor. Tell your rental company the expected duration and any extension options so that the quote reflects the real plan.

Heat, dust and fuel on gas sites

Gas sites sit in open desert, so every machine faces summer heat and fine dust. Generators lose output at high ambient temperature and engines need clean filters and cooling checks, so size power with margin and budget for filter changes. Outdoor work stops at midday from 15 June to 15 September under the ministry's seasonal rule, which shortens the working day on pipeline spreads and plant pads. Contractors who plan for the ban from the start, with early-morning and evening shifts and light towers for night work, keep their programme intact.

Safety paperwork follows the equipment. Machines entering a client gas facility need conformity and inspection certificates, and operators need site approval, so the contractor's HSE team reviews documents before mobilisation. Preparing these early is cheaper than a rejected machine at the gate.

Related services and guides

• Oil and gas equipment rental
• Excavator and earthmoving rental
• Dump truck and roller rental
• Generator and light tower rental
• Jafurah gas projects

Sources: World Oil, 30 Jun 2024, Aramco gas expansion awards · MEED, Aramco upstream spending gathers pace (14 Sep 2026)