Saudi Aramco has officially commenced production at the Jafurah unconventional gas field and launched operations at the Tanajib Gas Plant, marking a pivotal step in Saudi Arabia’s long-term gas expansion strategy. The projects form part of Aramco’s plan to boost sales gas production capacity by roughly 80% by 2030 compared to 2021 levels.

The company is targeting total output of approximately six million barrels of oil equivalent per day from gas and associated liquids, reinforcing its pivot toward diversified hydrocarbon growth.

Jafurah: Unlocking a Massive Unconventional Resource

Production of the first unconventional shale gas at Jafurah began in December 2025. Covering 17,000 square kilometers, the field holds an estimated 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas and 75 billion stock tank barrels of condensate — positioning it among the largest shale gas developments outside North America.

By 2030, Jafurah is expected to deliver two billion standard cubic feet per day of sales gas, 420 million cubic feet of ethane per day, and around 630,000 barrels per day of high-value liquids. Technology-driven efficiencies in drilling and stimulation have reportedly reduced development costs while enhancing well productivity, a critical factor in unconventional resource economics.

Aramco projects that the broader gas expansion could generate $12 billion to $15 billion in additional operating cash flow by 2030, contingent on global gas demand and liquids pricing.

Tanajib Strengthens Processing and Offshore Integration

Operations at the Tanajib Gas Plant also began in December 2025. The facility processes associated raw gas from the Marjan and Zuluf offshore oilfields and is designed with digital integration to optimize efficiency.

Aramco expects Tanajib to reach a raw gas processing capacity of 2.6 billion cubic feet per day in 2026. Its start-up coincided with production gains from the Marjan crude oil increment project, further reinforcing upstream-downstream integration.

Strategic Shift Toward Gas-Led Growth

Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser emphasized that gas is central to the company’s long-term growth strategy. Beyond earnings generation, expanded gas output supports rising domestic energy demand, industrial development, and petrochemical feedstock supply.

The shift also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic diversification plans, positioning gas as a cleaner-burning transitional fuel relative to crude oil while maintaining hydrocarbon revenue stability.

Looking ahead, the success of Jafurah and Tanajib will depend on sustained demand growth, pricing dynamics, and continued operational execution. If realized as projected, these developments could significantly reshape Aramco’s earnings mix and enhance resilience amid evolving global energy markets.