Aramco Taps KBR for Marjan Oil Field Upgrades

Saudi Aramco has enlisted U.S.-based engineering firm KBR to upgrade the massive Marjan offshore oil and gas field in the Arabian Gulf. The new contract tasks KBR with providing engineering and project execution services for offshore processing facilities, gas compression, and power infrastructure. Work will primarily be conducted from KBR's offices in Houston and Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

The upgrades aim to sustain production capacity after recent field developments while enhancing associated gas processing and long-term offshore infrastructure performance. KBR will also incorporate automation, digital technologies, and power-system improvements into the facilities.

The latest contract follows the completion of a major Marjan expansion, which added 300,000 barrels per day of production capacity earlier this year. The Marjan field is integral to Aramco's broader natural gas expansion, with the Tanajib Gas Plant, part of the Marjan development program, beginning operations in December 2025. The plant is designed to process 2.6 billion standard cubic feet per day of raw gas from the Marjan and Zuluf fields.

Aramco initially awarded $18 billion in contracts for the combined Marjan and Berri expansion programs in 2019. The Marjan portion included a new offshore gas-oil separation plant, 24 offshore platforms, and expanded onshore processing infrastructure. The latest KBR contract now shifts focus toward maintaining and optimizing one of Saudi Arabia's key offshore producing assets.