Equipment Rental for Jafurah and Eastern Province Gas Projects
Gas is where much of Aramco's 2026 upstream money is going, and much of that work happens in the Eastern Province.
Jafurah is Aramco's unconventional gas development in the Eastern Province, and it has become one of the Kingdom's largest gas construction programmes. For contractors, a gas field is not one job but a chain of them: site preparation, compression, processing, pipelines and utilities, each with its own equipment profile. This guide summarises the published awards and sets out the machines each stage typically calls for, so that planners can book rental equipment before the work front opens. It describes public contract news and is not a statement that we supply any named project.
What is happening at Jafurah
MEED reports that the main EPC for the fourth expansion phase went to L&T Energy Hydrocarbon in the second quarter of 2026, covering two gas compression trains of up to 200 million cubic feet a day each. A frontrunner has reportedly emerged for a fifth phase with similar scope. Earlier, in 2024, Aramco's Jafurah phase two awards included 16 contracts worth about USD 12.4 billion covering gas compression, plant expansion and new NGL fractionation in Jubail.
Compression trains are heavy, bulky and lifted into place. The crane, the ground and the lift plan come first.
What equipment gas-plant work calls for
| Work stage | Equipment (our reading) |
|---|---|
| Site preparation and pads | Excavators, dump trucks, wheel loaders, motor graders and rollers. |
| Heavy lifting and erection | Mobile and rough-terrain cranes, with a lift plan and ground assessment for each pick. |
| Piping and structure at height | Boom and scissor lifts, telehandlers and forklifts for pipe and spools. |
| Remote power and night works | Generators and light towers, with fuel arrangements for remote sites. |
| Fabrication and testing support | Welding machines, compressors and water pumps. |
Heavy lifting on desert ground
Compressor skids, vessels and pipe racks arrive on trailers and are lifted into position, often on ground that was levelled days earlier. Ask for the bearing capacity at the crane position and match it with the outrigger loads in the lift plan. Large plants also use several cranes in parallel, so a lift schedule that shows which crane works where each day prevents clashes and idle time.
Practical planning points
- Large EPC packages sub-let equipment to many suppliers, so expect the main contractor's document and HSE requirements to flow down to you.
- Plan delivery for remote and desert sites early: transport, fuel and permits take time.
- Allow for summer heat: generators lose output in high ambient temperature, and outdoor work stops at midday from 15 June to 15 September.
Fuel is a recurring problem on remote sites. Agree who supplies diesel, how it is delivered and how consumption is recorded before the machines arrive. For generators and light towers, add margin to the load calculation for summer temperatures, and plan servicing visits so that a single failure does not stop a night shift.
Staging yards and material handling
Before a compression train is lifted into place, its parts sit in a laydown yard. Forklifts and telehandlers unload pipe and steel, small cranes sort modules and generators keep the yard lit for night receiving. A well-run yard cuts the time between delivery and installation, so ask your supplier about yard equipment as well as the main crane.
When you send an enquiry for a gas site, include the plant area, the expected lift weights, the access road condition and whether the client requires specific documents. These four details let us confirm machines, transport and lead time in one reply instead of several.
Can you supply equipment to remote desert sites?
Yes on request from Dammam. Send the site location and start date so transport, fuel arrangements and access can be confirmed in the quote.
Which machines are needed first on a new gas site?
Usually excavators, dump trucks, graders and rollers for site preparation, followed by cranes and access equipment as structures start.
Related services and guides
- Oil and gas equipment rental
- Excavator and earthmoving rental
- Mobile and rough-terrain crane rental
- Equipment rental in Dammam
- Aramco upstream 2026: onshore equipment demand
Sources: MEED, Aramco upstream spending gathers pace (14 Sep 2026) · World Oil, 30 Jun 2024, Aramco gas expansion awards
Need equipment?
Call us or send a quote request. Our team helps you choose the right machine and size before you commit.
Key points: jafurah
Need help with jafurah? Ariane Ventures advises on jafurah for projects across Saudi Arabia, from our Dammam yard to oil and gas fields and industrial cities. We are a registered Saudi Aramco vendor, and our team can review your jafurah requirements and send a quotation, usually within one working day.