Saipem has been awarded a contract for the Uthmaniyah Gas Compression Plant (GCP) project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The US$1.04 billion contract will be executed through Saipem Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri Contracting Company (SNSH), a joint venture between Saipem and Saudi-based Nasser Saeed Al‑Hajri and Partners Company for Contracting (NSH).
The contract covers full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) activities for a new compression facility serving the Uthmaniyah non-associated gas field.
The Uthmaniyah GCP project marks a pivotal step in sustaining production from one of the Kingdom’s key non‑associated gas assets. At its core, the development introduces a new compression facility designed to handle roughly 882 MMscf/d (24.9 x 106 m3/d) of gas, boosting pressure from about 150 psig (10 bar) to approximately 1000 psig (68 bar) for delivery into existing processing infrastructure. This pressure uplift is essential to counteract natural reservoir decline and ensure continued flow into the Uthmaniyah Gas Plant, which remains a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s gas supply system.
The process design reflects modern best practices in high-capacity gas compression. Multiple parallel compression trains equipped with centrifugal compressors provide both redundancy and operational flexibility, while interstage cooling and separation systems maximize efficiency and protect rotating equipment. Air-cooled heat exchangers dominate the thermal design, minimizing water use in the region’s harsh desert climate.
