Fadhili mega project pushes forward Saudi’s plan to boost gas production
The US$13.3-billion Fadhili gas plant being built by Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) is set to push forward the kingdom’s plan to boost gas production in the country.
Scheduled to be completed in 2019, the Fadhili mega project is a notable part of Saudi Arabia’s proposed Master Gas System that has been planned to fulfil the increasing energy demand in the country by expanding the kingdom’s sales gas capacity from 9.3 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in 2015 to 12.2bcf/d in 2021.
It is set to supply energy through the clean-burning of natural gas and help lower the country’s reliance on oil as a fuel for generating power.
With a processing capacity of 2.5bcf/d, the Fadhili gas plant will process gas from both onshore and offshore fields. It will process an estimated 2bcf/d of non-associated gas from Hasbah offshore gas field and 500 million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) of gas from Khursaniyah onshore gas field.
The gas plant will produce 1.5bcf/d of sales gas and 4,000 metric ton a day of sulphur. It will additionally yield 470mmcf/d of gas that will be supplied to a co-generation power plant located nearby and being constructed as part of the gas project.
Construction of the gas plant is divided into three parts, namely gas processing unit, utilities and offsite facilities such as nitrogen, steam, power and water systems, and sulphur recovery.
Gas from the offshore field will be directly supplied to the adjacent co-generation plant after being processed in the treatment system, which has been optimised accordingly.The co-generation plant will have a capacity of 1.5 GW including 400MW for the gas plant, while the remaining 1,100MW will be supplied to the national grid.
Contract for the co-generation plant was awarded to Saudi Electric Company (SEC) and French energy giant Engie.
“The Fadhili project is in line with our strategy that aims at concentrating on low carbon dioxide activities via renewable energies and gas for power generation,” said Isabelle Kocher, the chief executive of Engie.
The combined cycle power plant uses both gas and steam to produce up to 50% more power compared to a traditional plant. The Fadhili facility will generate enough power for 1.4 million people, while also producing 1,447 tons per hour of steam and 768.8 tons per hour of feedwater. It will provide electricity to Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) while steam and feedwater will be go to Saudi Aramco.