UPDATE 1-Aramco's Jafurah gas plant begins output, Saudi finance ministry says

The first phase of oil giant Aramco's Jafurah gas plant is complete and production has begun with a capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day, the Saudi finance ministry said on Tuesday. In its 2026 budget statement, the ministry listed the milestone as an achievement reached in 2025.

The first phase of oil giant Aramco's Jafurah gas plant is complete and production has begun with a capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day, the Saudi finance ministry said on Tuesday.

In its 2026 budget statement, the ministry listed the milestone as an achievement reached in 2025. Jafurah is potentially the biggest shale gas project outside the U.S. and is expected to reach sustainable production of 2 billion cubic feet per day by 2030. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, who has called Jafurah a crown jewel in the company's portfolio, said during an earnings call last month the first phase was on track for completion by the end of this year.

Aramco earlier this year raised $11 billion

from a lease and leaseback agreement of its Jafurah gas processing facilities with a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock. The $100 billion Jafurah project, estimated to contain 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas, is central to Aramco's ambitions to become a major global player in natural gas and boost its gas production capacity.

Its output will help free up crude for export that is currently used for domestic power generation. Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

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