Saudi Aramco’s Jafurah shale gas project has commenced production at 450 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), marking the completion of the project’s first phase, Saudi Arabia’s Finance Ministry revealed, Reuters reported. The milestone was highlighted in the kingdom’s 2026 budget statement as one of the key achievements of 2025.
Jafurah, the largest shale natural gas development outside the US, holds an estimated 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw natural gas and is valued at $100 billion. The project is expected to reach sustained production of 2 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, enabling Saudi Arabia to divert crude oil currently used for domestic power generation toward more lucrative exports.
Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, who previously described Jafurah as a crown jewel in the company’s portfolio, said in November 2025 that the first phase was on schedule for completion by year-end. Aramco declined to comment on the announcement.
Earlier in 2025, Aramco secured $11 billion through a lease-and-leaseback transaction for Jafurah’s natural gas processing facilities with a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock. The broader development is central to Aramco’s strategy to expand its global natural gas footprint and boost production capacity.
Saudi Arabia’s natural gas sector is anchored by major processing plants, including Wasit, Fadhili, and Hawiyah, which form the core of Aramco’s Master Gas System. These facilities handle large volumes of non-associated natural gas, supply fuel for power generation and industry, and support the kingdom’s strategy to free up more crude for export.
