meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Bechtel marks 80 years working in Saudi Arabia

21 June 2023

 

Register for MEED's guest programme 

Warren Bechtel founded the engineering company Bechtel at the end of the 19th century and, under five generations of family leadership, the firm has developed a reputation for taking on big projects. 

During the early 20th century, Bechtel worked on major projects across the US as it established itself as an economic superpower. 

Its most famous project during this period was the Hoover Dam, which Bechtel built as part of the Six Companies consortium.

The company then played a role in supporting US efforts during the Second World War, and before the end of the conflict it was contracted in 1943 to build the Ras Tanura refinery in what was then the little-known market of Saudi Arabia, where oil was just starting to be produced.

Making an impact

Bechtel found that Saudi Arabia was a market well suited to a company that works on big projects with a big impact. Today, Saudi Arabia is one of Bechtel’s largest markets after the US.

“We do projects. Yes, we are builders and engineers, but we are also trying to do projects that have a positive impact,” says Jake Mumm, senior vice-president of Bechtel. 

“We are selective about the projects we work on, and we try to find projects that have a long-term positive impact. If your goal is to have a positive impact in a community and to improve lives and livelihoods, then public infrastructure is what you should be doing. And if you are doing infrastructure, where is a better place in the world to do that?” 

Bechtel’s projects follow a lot of the economic and historical parallels of the country. 

After Ras Tanura, Bechtel was appointed to work on the first railroad in Arabia since Ottoman times and the Hejaz Railway. Then there were the kingdom’s early power projects, early telecommunications schemes and, in more modern times, oil and gas facilities such as Shaybah and Khursaniyah, Jubail Industrial City, Waad al-Shamal and Riyadh Metro.

“It is 300 projects and counting that Bechtel has done in the kingdom,” says Mumm. “I do not think of Bechtel as a multinational in the kingdom. I think of us as a local company because our largest population across all of our projects are Saudi nationals, so it is by Saudis for Saudi Arabia, and that is very important to us.”

Growing presence

Bechtel has over 2,500 employees working in the kingdom, of which close to 800 are Saudi nationals. More than 300 are women, of whom over 200 are Saudi women. 

“One of my biggest focuses is promoting gender diversity. We have something called Women@Bechtel, which is an employee-led group. 

“Our largest chapter for women outside of the US is here. It is all about helping women thrive in their careers,” says Mumm.

These totals will increase as Bechtel plays a leading role on some of the largest projects being delivered in the kingdom as part of Vision 2030. 

“We have two projects at Neom, which are project management consultancy (PMC) roles. One is on The Spine, which also includes a regional infrastructure component, which includes the roads and water. We are also doing the PMC scope at Trojena, which is a year-round Alpine resort with six clusters. 

“These two projects mean our largest concentration of professional staff in Saudi Arabia is now working at Neom,” says Mumm.

Working on projects in remote locations like Neom is typical for Bechtel.

“A lot of us spend big parts of our career on fly-in, fly-out arrangements. These are camp assignments, and it is something we are comfortable with,” says Mumm. “I spent about 40 per cent of my career living in camps in remote locations. Most recently, I was up at the Keeyask [hydropower project] in the Canadian Arctic, in Manitoba.”

Bechtel’s largest concentration of professional staff in Saudi Arabia is now working at Neom
Jake Mumm, Bechtel

Looking ahead

Bechtel will continue to take on new projects in the kingdom as it moves towards its next major milestone, 100 years in Saudi Arabia. 

One area of interest will be aviation. Over the past 80 years, Bechtel has worked on airports in Riyadh and Dammam, and with major new projects planned – such as King Salman International airport in Riyadh – there will be more opportunities for work in the aviation sector in the future. 

“We like the footprint that we have today. First and foremost, we want to deliver on the work that we have. Once that work is completed, we will replenish it with a similar backlog,” says Mumm. 

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10953099/main.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Read the April 2026 MEED Business Review

    2 April 2026

    Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access

    When the first missiles and drones were fired at the GCC on 28 February, the region’s economic story pivoted abruptly, from long-term vision-building to near-term resilience.

    The conflict is now the Gulf’s most consequential economic stress test in a generation. It is challenging the safe haven premium that underpins capital inflows, while disrupting the physical networks that keep the region’s economies running, from energy exports and shipping lanes to airports and tourism.

    MEED editor Colin Foreman asks whether the GCC can sustain investor confidence as energy assets, trade routes, airports and banks absorb the shock. Read more here.

    April’s market focus is on Saudi Arabia, where the Iran war is compounding the logic behind the kingdom’s strategic pivot in its investment plans.

    This edition also includes MEED’s 2026 GCC contractor ranking, in which Chinese firms have surged to the top as Saudi spending cuts and geopolitical risks weigh on GCC construction activity.

    In the latest issue, we explore the region’s evolving arbitration landscape; present exclusive leadership insight from Jacobs on the future of passenger rail in the Middle East; and talk to Leyla Abdimomunova, head of real estate and construction at the Public Investment Fund’s National Development Division, about remaking Saudi construction.

    We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the April 2026 issue of MEED Business Review. 

     

    Must-read sections in the April 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:

    > AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire

    INDUSTRY REPORT:
    GCC contractor ranking
    > Construction guard undergoes a shift

    > LEGAL: Redefining the region’s arbitration landscape

    > QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race  

    > INTERVIEW: Leyla Abdimomunova, National Development Division, PIF

    > LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle East 

    > SAUDI MARKET FOCUS: 
    > COMMENT: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift
    > GVT &: ECONOMY: Riyadh navigates a changed landscape
    > BANKING: Testing times for Saudi banks
    > UPSTREAM: Offshore oil and gas projects to dominate Aramco capex in 2026
    > DOWNSTREAM: Saudi downstream projects market enters lean period
    > POWER: Wind power gathers pace in Saudi Arabia
    > WATER: Sharakat plan signals next phase of Saudi water expansion
    > CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction enters a period of strategic readjustment
    > TRANSPORT: Rail expansion powers Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure push

    > MEED COMMENTS: 
    >     Iran war erodes LNG’s image of reliability
    > Dubai's real estate faces a hard test
    > Energy resilience matters as much as capacity
    > Drawn-out conflict may shift planning priorities

    > GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index rises amid tensions

    > FEBRUARY 2025 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards

    > ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

    > OPINION: The end of the republic and the end of times

    > BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16222272/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Iranian missiles hit Qatari and Kuwaiti fuel tankers

    1 April 2026

    Iranian missiles have struck fuel tankers in Gulf waters belonging to Qatar and Kuwait, as Tehran continues to target energy, industrial and logistical assets in GCC countries.

    A fuel oil tanker chartered by QatarEnergy, named Aqua 1, was struck by missiles in Qatar’s northern territorial waters in the early hours of 1 April, the company said in a statement.

    “None of the crew members on board were injured, and there is no impact on the environment as a result of this incident,” QatarEnergy said.

    Earlier, on 31 March,  said one of its very large crude carriers, Al-Salmi, caught fire after being hit by an Iranian missile while anchored in UAE waters just outside Dubai.

    The vessel’s crew, with support from UAE authorities, extinguished the fire by 04:26 Kuwait time on 31 March, KPC said. It added that all 24 crew members were safe and that no oil spill or environmental damage occurred.

    “KPC is continuing to assess the damage in coordination with relevant authorities,” the Kuwaiti state energy conglomerate said.

    ALSO READ: Iran strikes Gulf aluminium assets after hits on its steel sector
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16217670/main4010.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • One killed and one injured in drone attacks on the UAE

    1 April 2026

    Debris falling from Iranian drones intercepted by the UAE’s air defence systems has killed one person in the emirate of Fujairah and injured another in Umm Al-Quwain in two separate incidents on 1 April.

    A successful interception of a drone by UAE air defence forces resulted in debris falling on a farm in Fujairah, leading to the death of a Bangladeshi national.

    The latest fatality brings the total death toll in the UAE since the start of the US-Israel-Iran war to 12. Most of the deaths have been caused by falling debris following interceptions. Among the deceased are two members of the UAE armed forces who died while performing their duties, as well as a Moroccan civilian contracted by the armed forces.

    The remaining victims were of Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepali, Pakistani and Palestinian nationalities.

    Hours after the Fujairah incident, authorities in Umm Al-Quwain confirmed that an Indian national was injured when debris from an intercepted drone fell in the emirate.

    In a statement posted on its official social media channels, the Umm Al-Quwain government media office said the incident occurred near an industrial facility in the Umm Al-Thuoob area, after air defence systems successfully intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

    Meanwhile, the latest data from the UAE Ministry of Defence, released on 31 March, showed that air defence systems had engaged 36 UAVs, four cruise missiles and eight ballistic missiles in the previous 24 hours. Cumulatively, authorities said 1,977 drones, 19 cruise missiles and 433 ballistic missiles have been intercepted since the onset of the war on 28 February.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16218126/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Contractors submit Al-Maktoum airport superstructure bids

    1 April 2026

     

    Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) received proposals on 31 March from contractors for three packages covering superstructure works for the first phase of the expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport.

    MEED understands that the selected contractor will undertake superstructure works on three packages:

    • West Terminal and concourse one
    • Concourse two
    • Concourse three

    Construction on these packages began in November last year, when DAEP formally selected a contractor to deliver the substructure works.

    According to an official description on DAEP’s website, the expanded airport’s West Terminal will be a seven-level, 800,000-square-metre facility with an annual capacity of 45 million passengers.

    It will be the second of three terminals at Al-Maktoum International airport, linked to the airside by a 14-station automated people-mover (APM) system.

    In August last year, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had received bids from firms to build the APM at the airport. 

    The system will run under the apron of the entire airfield and the airport’s terminals. It will consist of several tracks, taking passengers from the terminals to the concourses.

    Four underground stations will be built as part of the first phase. The overall plan includes 14 stations across the airport.

    The airport’s construction is planned to be undertaken in three phases. The airport will cover an area of 70 square kilometres (sq km) south of Dubai and will have five parallel runways, five terminal buildings and 400 aircraft gates.

    It will be five times the size of the existing Dubai International airport and will have the world’s largest passenger-handling capacity of 260 million passengers a year. For cargo, it will have the capacity to handle 12 million tonnes a year.

    Construction progress

    Construction on the first phase has already begun. In May last year, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had awarded a AED1bn ($272m) deal to UAE firm Binladin Contracting Group to construct the second runway at the airport.

    The enabling works on the terminal are also ongoing and are being undertaken by Abu Dhabi-based Tristar E&C.

    Construction on the project’s first phase is expected to be completed by 2032.

    The government approved the updated designs and timelines for its largest construction project in April 2024.

    In a statement, the authorities said the plan is for all operations from Dubai International airport to be transferred to Al-Maktoum International within 10 years.

    The statement added that the project will create housing demand for 1 million people around the airport.

    In September 2024, MEED exclusively reported that a team comprising Austria’s Coop Himmelb(l)au and Lebanon’s Dar Al-Handasah had been confirmed as the lead masterplanning and design consultants on the expansion of Al-Maktoum airport.

    Project history

    The expansion of Al-Maktoum International, also known as Dubai World Central (DWC), is a long-standing project. It was officially launched in 2014, with a different design from the one approved in April 2024. At that time, it involved building the biggest airport in the world by 2050, with the capacity to handle 255 million passengers a year.

    An initial phase, due to be completed in 2030, involved increasing the airport’s capacity to 130 million passengers a year. The development was to cover an area of 56 sq km.

    Progress on the project slipped as the region grappled with the impact of lower oil prices and Dubai focused on developing the Expo 2020 site. Tendering for work on the project then stalled with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16215664/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Drone strikes Kuwait International airport

    1 April 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Kuwait International airport was hit by further drone attacks on Wednesday, with strikes on fuel tanks sparking a major fire.

    Kuwait’s state news agency Kuna said the attack caused significant damage to fuel tanks belonging to Kuwait Aviation Fuelling Company. No casualties were reported.

    This was the second reported incident at the airport in recent days. Local media reported that the airport was attacked on 28 March by multiple drones, causing significant damage to its radar system.

    The airport is currently undergoing expansion works that are expected to be completed by 2027, as MEED reported previously.

    Project execution of the second terminal began in 2017, with the completion date pushed back from the original 2022 target.

    The second terminal project consists of three packages.

    These are:

    • Package 1: Main works – $4,329m
    • Package 2: Multistorey car park building, connection roads, bridges and landscaping works – $550m
    • Package 3: Aircraft parking, runways and service buildings – $950m

    Turkiye’s Limak Holding is executing the main works.

    The terminal building was designed by Foster+Partners and Gulf Consult.

    Spanish firm Ineco is providing the project management services for the new terminal building and the airfield.

    The scope of the main package includes the new terminal building, a building for cooling and electricity supply facilities, and a building for the water supply and the future Automatic People Mover (APM) connection to the satellite building.

    The terminal building will be three times the size of the original building and will have 36 boarding gates.

    The building will cover more than 700,000 square metres and have five floors, one of which will be underground.

    It will have the capacity, at maximum service level, for 25 million passengers a year once the first phase has been completed and up to 50 million passengers after further phases are completed.

    The second package of works includes a new car park with approximately 5,000 parking spaces, connected to the new passenger terminal.

    It also includes all new access roads to the airport and landscaping.

    The scope of the third package comprises the main platform, new taxiways and several tunnels, including one under the platform between the terminal building and the future cargo area of the airport.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16216797/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal