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
  • Dubai extends bid deadlines for key drainage projects

    31 October 2025

    Dubai Municipality has extended the bid submission deadlines for two key drainage projects under the $8bn Tasreef programme to develop, rehabilitate and expand Dubai’s stormwater drainage network.

    The first project, listed as TF-05-C1, involves a stormwater drainage system in Jebel Ali and the surrounding areas.

    The new deadline is 10 November, a source close to the project told MEED.

    The project covers approximately 27 kilometres of stormwater network and will serve major transport routes, including Sheikh Zayed Road and Al-Jamayel Road.

    The bid submission date for the tender, was initially 2 October before being extended to 30 October.

    The second project, listed under TF-11-C1,  is for the development of a stormwater pond, evacuation line and pumping station.

    The project includes a comprehensive stormwater drainage system, featuring a tunnel ranging from three to four metres in diameter along Dubai–Al Ain Road and the D54.

    The new deadline is 4 November.

    The bid submission date for the tender, was initially 25 September.

    The schemes are being procured by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department as part of the Tasreef programme.

    In October, Dubai Municipality awarded contracts for two other major projects under the initiative.

    Local firm DeTech Contracting won the main contract for the construction of a stormwater drainage system on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al-Yalayis Road in Dubai.

    The municipality alos awarded a contract to Greece/Lebanon-based Archirodon for the construction of the Resilient Future Flow Outfall project. 

    The $25m project involves the construction of a 4-kilometre subsea pipeline with a 2-metre diameter and a discharge capacity of 9 cubic metres a second.

    The Tasreef masterplan that will serve key areas across the emirate, including Nad Al-Hamar, the vicinity of Dubai International airport, Garhoud, Rashidiya, Al-Quoz, Zabeel, Al-Wasl, Jumeirah and Al-Badaa. The initiative aims to expand Dubai’s rainwater drainage capacity by 700% by 2033.

    DeTech Consulting previously won the $136m contract to upgrade the West Deira stormwater system.

    This project was the first of the five planned Tasreef projects to enter construction, earlier this year.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14993856/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Gas demand reshapes priorities

    31 October 2025

    Commentary
    Colin Foreman
    Editor

    Read the November issue of MEED Business Review

    Gas has increasingly been regarded as a crucial transition fuel over the past decade as governments race to cut carbon emissions and meet climate pledges – including the Paris Agreement’s aim to keep warming well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

    Those commitments have driven the demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) globally and this has reshaped investment priorities across the region, with Qatar, Oman and the UAE eyeing future export growth.

    QatarEnergy’s North Field expansion is the largest investment. The estimated $40bn programme will push Qatar’s LNG output towards 142 million tonnes a year by the end of this decade, almost doubling its present position and consolidating its role as a market anchor.

    Abu Dhabi is also committed to expanding its capacity. Its downstream strategies include a major greenfield LNG terminal at Ruwais, due to enter service in 2028 with two 4.8 million t/y trains adding 9.6 million t/y to the UAE’s export capability.

    These programmes are keeping contractors busy. Over the past five years, more than $44bn of LNG-related contracts have been awarded in the region – which is more than eight times the $5.3bn recorded in the previous five year period.

    At the same time, there are ample opportunities for contractors as other countries in the region build import infrastructure. Projects are already under way in Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco – and more are expected.

    With base load concerns remaining for many countries when it comes to completely switching to renewables, gas is expected to be a fuel of choice for the decades to come. The investments made in production capacity mean the region will play a pivotal role in delivering the world’s energy needs.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14992876/main.gif
    Colin Foreman
  • Dubai evaluates Al-Maktoum airport substructure bids

    31 October 2025

     

    Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) is evaluating the bids it received from contractors on 15 September for substructure works for the first phase of the expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport.

    “The bid evaluation is ongoing and the project is expected to be awarded by the end of this year,” sources close to the project told MEED.

    MEED understands that the bidders include:

    • Alec (local)
    • China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (China)
    • China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
    • China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
    • Dutco Construction (local)
    • Innovo (local)
    • Limak / PowerChina (Turkiye/China)
    • Shapoorji Pallonji (India)
    • Webuild / Tristar (Italy/local)

    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, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had received bids from firms to build the APM at Al-Maktoum 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, 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.

    While speaking to the press on the sidelines of the Airport Show in Dubai in May, Khalifa Al-Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, said the government of Dubai will award more packages this year, including for the APM and baggage handling systems.

    “Several other packages are expected to be tendered this year, including the terminal substructure, 132kV substations and district cooling plants,” Al-Zaffin said.

    Construction works on the project’s first phase are 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 last year, 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.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14991651/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Financial close reached for Jubail-Buraydah link

    31 October 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has announced financial close for the Jubail-Buraydah independent water transmission pipeline (IWTP) project.

    Saudi Arabia’s second IWTP project will link Jubail in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and Buraydah in the Qassim region via a 587-kilometre (km) pipeline that can transmit 650,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d) of water.

    It will have a potable water storage capacity of 1.63 million cubic metres.

    The project will have a total cost of SR8.5bn ($2.2bn).

    A developer team comprising local companies Aljomaih Energy & Water, Nesma Company and Buhur for Investment Company was named as the preferred bidder for the contract last year.

    The Aljomaih, Nesma and Buhur team had proposed to develop the project for SR3.59468 a cubic metre.

    SWPC signed a contract agreement to develop and operate the Jubail-Buraydah IWTP project in May.

    The project is being developed under a build-own-operate-transfer model with a 35-year concession period from the project’s commercial operation date. 

    Local content is expected to reach 45% during the construction phase and 70% during operations.

    Commercial operation is scheduled for the first quarter of 2029.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14991282/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Libya oil project expected to progress despite Petrofac collapse

    31 October 2025

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    The tender process for Libya’s 6J North Gialo oil field development project is expected to progress following Petrofac’s announcement that it has gone into administration, according to industry sources.

    UK-based Petrofac is one of just two companies that submitted bids for the project. The other is Egypt-based Petrojet.

    In September, MEED revealed that the bids had been submitted for the project and were under evaluation.

    The client on the project is Libya’s Waha Oil Company and Petrofac completed the front-end engineering and design (feed) for the project in 2020.

    Waha is a joint venture of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), France’s TotalEnergies and US-based ConocoPhillips.

    Commenting on the impact of Petrofac’s insolvency, one industry source said: “This has definitely increased uncertainty for the project.

    “It could potentially mean that this contract is retendered, but there is a lot of confidence that this tender will still go ahead in some form.

    “Waha Oil and Libya’s NOC have made it clear that this project is a priority and they want it to go ahead.

    “Progress is still expected on this tender, but it is possible that there will be more delays before this contract is awarded and signed.”

    The 6J North Gialo field development project is part of a series of tenders that are collectively expected to be worth $1bn.

    The three projects are:

    • NC98
    • Gialo 3
    • 6J North Gialo

    All three projects will develop Libyan reservoirs that have not yet been tapped.

    The 6J North Gialo project was the first to be tendered and it is expected to be followed by NC98, with the Gialo 3 project likely to be tendered last.

    Together, the projects are expected to double Waha’s production from about 300,000 barrels a day (b/d) of oil to 600,000 b/d. The Waha concession covers 13 million acres.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14990491/main.png
    Wil Crisp