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
  • Contractor wins Dammam airport water infrastructure deal

    1 October 2026

    Saudi Arabia-based Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies has won an SR80m ($21.3m) contract to rehabilitate water and wastewater infrastructure at King Fahd International airport in Dammam in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

    The contract was awarded by Dammam Airports Company (DACO), and work is scheduled to be completed within 18 months, the firm said in a disclosure to the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) on 29 September.

    The scope covers the design, construction, supply, installation, replacement, rehabilitation and integration of water and wastewater infrastructure.

    It includes pumps, storage tanks and reservoirs, reverse osmosis facilities, piping and tie-ins, as well as electrical and instrumentation works.

    The award comes as DACO advances a wider programme of investment at King Fahd International airport.

    DACO signed more than SR1.2bn ($320m) in agreements in June covering airport infrastructure, including a new power station, a medium-voltage distribution network and upgrades to the existing electrical grid. 

    In September, it also appointed WSP Middle East, the regional arm of Canadian engineering firm WSP, to develop the airport’s expansion under its masterplan.

    The expansion is intended to increase annual passenger capacity to more than 19.3 million by 2030, with a longer-term target of 32 million passengers. 

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/20169118/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Kuwait tenders LNG project

    1 October 2026

     

    State-owned Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (Kipic) has tendered a project to develop a reliquefaction unit at the Al-Zour liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal.

    The project focuses on developing a boil-off gas (BOG) unit at the terminal, with bids due on 22 December.

    A meeting for contractors to discuss the project is scheduled for 18 October.

    The project scope includes engineering, procurement and construction works, along with pre-commissioning, commissioning and performance testing services.

    The list of prequalified companies is:

    • Fluor (US)
    • GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
    • Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
    • Larsen & Toubro (India)
    • Hyundai Engineering (South Korea)
    • CTCI Corporation (Taiwan)
    • Daewoo Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
    • Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
    • Saipem (Italy)
    • Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
    • Sinopec Engineering (China)
    • JGC Holdings (Japan)
    • KBR (US)
    • China National Petroleum Corporation (China)
    • Technip (France)

    A BOG unit at an LNG facility captures, compresses and processes natural gas vapours that evaporate from cryogenic storage tanks, enabling the gas to be recycled back into the system rather than flared.

    In April, MEED revealed that contractors expected the project to be worth about $200m.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/20168625/main2005.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Riyadh approaches contractors for 2km tower

    1 October 2026

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has reached out to contractors as part of a market-sounding exercise for the construction of the proposed 2-kilometre megatall tower project.

    MEED understands that a PIF subsidiary, the Tower District Real Estate Development Company, is undertaking the process.

    It is understood that several experienced international contractors, as well as some prominent local contractors, have been approached.

    The latest development follows PIF receiving offers in June last year from firms seeking a contract to provide project management consultancy (PMC) services for a new central business district (CBD) on the outskirts of Riyadh, which includes the proposed 2km tower.

    The PMC role covers both the tower and the surrounding district.

    Firms understood to have been invited to bid include US-based Aecom, Jacobs, Parsons and Turner, as well as the UK’s Mace.

    UK-based Foster & Partners is working as the architect for the tower after winning a design competition launched in late 2022.

    Record breaker

    The proposed tower would be more than double the height of the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which stands 828 metres tall. It is expected to be at least several hundred metres taller than the 1,000-metre-plus tower under construction in Jeddah.

    Contractors that have priced megatall towers in the region say a 2km-tall structure could cost about $5bn to construct, depending on the final design.

    The 2km tower and the surrounding CBD – known as Project Rise – sit within a larger masterplanned development to the north of Riyadh called the North Pole.

    MEED’s October 2026 report on Saudi Arabia includes:

    > COMMENT: Saudi projects hold steady
    > GOVERNMENT: Riyadh looks to reset its regional defence outlook
    > ECONOMY: Conflict bolsters case for Saudi economic diversification
    > BANKING: Saudi lenders readjust to lower lending and deposit climate
    > UPSTREAM: Aramco upstream spending gathers pace
    > DOWNSTREAM: Sabic steps up Saudi petchems investment
    > POWER: Saudi Arabia’s power award activity slows
    > WATER: Saudi water sector hits sharp slowdown
    > CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction defies the headwinds
    > TRANSPORT: Saudi infrastructure pushes forward amid conflict
    > DATABANK: Saudi data indicates project spending shift

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/20156496/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Singapore’s Temasek plans Middle East expansion

    1 October 2026

    Singapore’s Temasek plans to open offices in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi early next year as it targets investment and partnership opportunities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and the wider region.

    The state-owned investor had a net portfolio value of S$518bn ($401bn) as of 31 March 2026.

    It said the new offices will serve as regional hubs for Temasek and its portfolio companies, with some businesses expected to co-locate to work more closely with partners and pursue deals alongside the group. The openings are subject to regulatory approvals.

    Temasek said it will also step up engagement with institutions in Qatar, although it has not announced plans to establish an office there.

    The company said the expansion reflects its confidence in the region’s long-term fundamentals and the economic transformation being driven by national diversification programmes.

    It added that a presence in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi will also support investment activity beyond the region by improving access to opportunities across the wider Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.

    Several Temasek-owned or Temasek-backed companies are already active in the GCC, providing a platform for the group’s planned expansion.

    These include Singapore-headquartered engineering and consultancy firm Surbana Jurong, which has been involved in masterplanning and advisory work on major regional developments, alongside other portfolio companies with interests spanning infrastructure, logistics, financial services and technology.

    According to data from regional project tracker MEED Projects, Surbana Jurong is involved in several major projects in Saudi Arabia, including Red Sea Global’s Amaala masterplan, the Trojena dams scheme, Oxagon, King Salman International airport and Saudi Arabia Railway’s North-South Phosphate Railway 3.

    The firm has also worked on projects in the wider region, including the West Link project, Etihad Rail’s high-speed rail programme and Abu Dhabi airport’s Midfield Terminal.

    Surbana Jurong has also secured masterplanning contracts from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities & Transport and Abu Dhabi Ports.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/20157511/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Aldar and Arada to pursue Abu Dhabi projects

    1 October 2026

    UAE-based developers Aldar Properties and Arada have signed a partnership agreement targeting about AED15bn ($4bn) in development opportunities on Yas Island and in Abu Dhabi’s Seih Sdeirah.

    The deal includes a masterplan joint venture to develop a mixed-use community at Seih Sdeirah, on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border, and Arada’s purchase of three residential plots on Yas Island from Aldar.

    The Seih Sdeirah project will cover up to 1.5 million square metres (sq m) and will include villas, townhouses, and retail and leisure facilities.

    Arada will lead development and construction management, while both firms will jointly brand and market the community.

    On Yas Island, Arada has bought two canal-facing plots totalling more than 27,500 sq m, with nearly 130,000 sq m of gross floor area, as well as a third residential plot.

    Aldar said the companies will explore further collaboration across sectors and locations in the UAE.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/20156829/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal