meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Offshore oil and gas sees steady capex

6 March 2025

 

This package also includes: Saudi Arabia to retain upstream dominance

With nearly half of the Middle East and North Africa’s (Mena) hydrocarbons reserves located in offshore basins, regional oil and gas producers spend significantly on maintaining and ramping up production levels. Offshore projects are predominantly geared at raising drilling capabilities, expanding subsea infrastructure and building floating production systems.

In addition to boosting production capacity, producers also invest in offshore projects to improve technological innovation, safety and environmental sustainability. 

Capital expenditure (capex) on offshore projects in the region has remained steady in the past 10 years, with 2024 being one of the best years on record, witnessing total project spending of $23.5bn.

Qatar’s offshore goals

Qatar accounted for the largest capex on offshore oil and gas projects in Mena last year, according to data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects. The country invested more than $12bn in projects to produce incremental volumes of gas from its North Field reserve, as well to sustain its crude output.

In January 2024, North Oil Company awarded $6bn-worth of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for a third capacity expansion project at the Al-Shaheen offshore field, to boost oil production by about 100,000 barrels a day (b/d).

North Oil Company – a joint venture of state enterprise QatarEnergy (70%) and France’s TotalEnergies (30%) – has been operating the Al-Shaheen field since July 2017. Situated 80 kilometres (km) north of Ras Laffan, at a water depth of 60 metres, Al-Shaheen holds one of the biggest oil reserves in the world and is Qatar’s largest field. It has a production potential of 300,000 b/d and accounts for about 45% of the country’s total oil production.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s North Field liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion requires state enterprise QatarEnergy to pump large volumes of gas from the North Field offshore reserve to feed the three phases of the $30bn-plus programme. QatarEnergy has invested billions of dollars in EPC works on the two phases of the North Field Production Sustainability (NFPS) project, which aims to maintain steady gas feedstock for the North Field LNG expansion phases.

QatarEnergy LNG, a subsidiary of QatarEnergy, awarded Italy’s Saipem an order valued at $4bn for combined packages Comp3A and Comp3B of the NFPS Offshore Compression Programme’s second phase in September last year. The scope of work on the packages encompasses the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of six platforms, approximately 100km of 28-inch- and 24-inch-diameter corrosion-resistant alloy rigid subsea pipelines, 100km of subsea composite cables, 150km of fibre optic cables and several other subsea units.

The job for combined packages Comp3A and Comp3B is Saipem’s latest contract award as part of the NFPS scheme. The Italian contractor has secured work totalling almost $6bn on the two phases of the project.

UAE pushes offshore

With Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group) striving to attain an oil production capacity of 5 million b/d by 2027 and become self-sufficient in gas production by the end of this decade, offshore oil and gas projects have received a significant boost. Adnoc was the second-highest spender on offshore projects in the region last year, as well as in the past 10 years. 

In 2024, Adnoc Group subsidiary Adnoc Offshore spent about $6bn on major programmes to potentially increase oil production, such as the two phases of a project to raise output from the Upper Zakum offshore concession in Abu Dhabi to 1.2 million b/d.

In April last year, Adnoc Offshore awarded the project’s main EPC contract – known as UZ 1.2MMBD EPC-1 and worth $825m – to UAE-based Target Engineering Construction Company. In November, Target also won the contract for the project’s next phase, known as UZ 1.2MMBD EPC-2, which is understood to be valued at $500m.

Also last year, Adnoc Offshore awarded a contract, estimated to be worth $2bn, for a project to increase production from the Umm Shaif offshore oil field in Abu Dhabi. 

US-based oil and gas contractor McDermott International won the main contract for the Umm Shaif Accelerated Development project, which aims to increase the Umm Shaif oil field’s output from about 275,000 b/d to 390,000 b/d by 2027, and to sustain that level of production until at least 2036.

Aramco maintains capex

In January 2024, the Saudi Energy Ministry directed Saudi Aramco to abandon its campaign to expand its oil production spare capacity from 12 million b/d to 13 million b/d by 2027. As a consequence of that government decision, Aramco cancelled the tendering process for at least 15 schemes involving the EPCI of structures at offshore oil and gas fields. 

Aramco has since changed tack, spending an estimated $5bn in 2024 on offshore EPCI contracts and earning third place in the league table of highest offshore spenders in the Mena region last year. 

Saipem was the biggest beneficiary of Aramco’s offshore spending, winning five of the eight Contracts Release and Purchase Orders (CRPOs) awarded last year.

In May, Aramco awarded Saipem the contract for CRPO 143, which involves replacing an oil line between the Berri and Manifa oil fields in the kingdom’s Gulf waters.

Aramco then awarded Saipem the contract for CRPO 138, which involves laying a trunkline at the Abu Safah offshore field. The contract is estimated to be worth $500m.

The Milan-listed contractor then scooped three CRPOs in August, starting with CRPOs 132 and 139, the combined value of which is estimated to be about $1bn. In September, Saipem began work on the two contracts, which involve the EPCI of structures to upgrade the Marjan, Zuluf and Safaniya offshore field developments.

Just days after the award of CRPOs 132 and 139, Aramco awarded Saipem CRPO 127, a $2bn contract that involves the EPCI of topsides and jackets for wellhead platforms, a tie-in platform jacket and topside, rigid flowlines, submarine composite cables and fibre optic cables at the Marjan oil and gas field.

In late November, Aramco awarded three further CRPOs worth more than $500m. China Offshore Oil Engineering Company won CRPOs 149 and 152, which are estimated to be valued at $30m and $250m-$300m, respectively. UK-based Subsea7 secured CRPO 153, which is understood to be valued at $200m-$250m.

Positive outlook

Regional national oil companies, particularly those in the Gulf, will seek to maintain a steady stream of investment in offshore projects this year, capitalising on the favourable oil price environment in pursuit of their goal of ramping up output potential in the mid to long term.

Their international counterparts are also likely to press ahead with projects to derive maximum value out of their offshore hydrocarbons assets in the Mena region, a large portion of which are located in prolific, shallow-water formations, making the production of oil and gas more cost-effective than in other regions.

Capex on offshore oil and gas projects this year may well match the level seen in 2024, according to MEED Projects data. In the first two months of 2025, offshore EPC contract awards reached $7.5bn.

Adnoc Offshore accounts for that entire spend through its Lower Zakum Long-Term Development Plan (LTDP-1) project. The company’s long-term objective is to raise output capacity at the Lower Zakum offshore hydrocarbons concession in Abu Dhabi to 520,000 b/d by 2027 and maintain that level until 2034.

Spanish contractor Tecnicas Reunidas and Abu Dhabi-based contractors NMDC Energy and Target Engineering Construction Company have been selceted by Adnoc Offshore to execute EPC works on the three main packages of the Lower Zakum LTDP-1 project.

Separately, Aramco is in the bid evaluation and tendering stages with a total of 12 more CRPOs. The biggest of these offshore tenders are a set of four CRPOs – numbers 145, 146, 147 and 148 – that are part of a project to further expand the Zuluf offshore field development.

These four CRPOs, estimated to be worth about $5.8bn, involve the EPCI of several structures at the Zuluf field, to maintain and raise its long-term oil and gas production potential.

In addition to CRPOs 145, 146, 147 and 148, entities in Saudi Aramco’s Long-Term Agreement (LTA) pool of offshore contractors submitted bids last year for CRPO 150 – an estimated $50m tender that involves the installation of structures at Aramco’s Northern Area Oil Operations.

In December, Aramco issued seven more CRPOs – 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159 and 160 – for which its LTA contractors are in the process of preparing bids. Work on these tenders relates to EPCI on structures at several offshore oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia.

Aramco has been the biggest spender on offshore oil and gas projects in the region in the past 10 years, with capex exceeding $48.5bn. The world’s largest company is predicted to spend significantly on offshore EPC projects in 2025, too.

Saudi Arabia to retain upstream dominance

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13451668/main.gif
Indrajit Sen

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil

    27 July 2026

     

    Gulf banks are proving adept at navigating the economic and geopolitical turbulence that comes with operating in the region. These skills have come to the fore this year, as regional lenders draw on stable funding profiles and ample capital and liquidity buffers that protect them from near-term credit risks. 

    GCC banks’ fundamentals have proved remarkably resilient to the Iran-related turmoil, assuming the intensity of the February-April stage of the military conflict does not resume.

    There have not been any significant outflows of external funding. While anecdotal evidence suggests some depositors briefly moved funds out of the region at the start of the war, ratings agency S&P Global notes that their return reflects confidence that the war will prove short-lived.

    Funding strength

    Metrics for the early part of the year revealed a robust picture. Domestic deposits held up strongly in the first quarter of 2026, total GCC domestic deposits rising by 16.9% in year-on-year terms, compensating for the decline in interbank funding. 

    State-linked deposits grew at a particularly rapid pace, led by the UAE and Kuwait, which offset decelerating private-sector deposit growth in those countries. 

    Domestic deposits accelerated in April, a pointer to GCC governments’ proactive stances in shielding their banking systems from undue stress. The inflow of public deposits accelerated quite significantly in this period, although that pace will likely subside as conditions gradually normalise. 

    Such deposits continue to underpin GCC banks’ wider performances. “Funding and liquidity is generally a strength for the region. Government deposits typically make up 20%-30% of the banking sector deposits. That is really important as these are sticky deposits,” says Redmond Ramsdale, head of Middle East ratings at Fitch Ratings.

    Funding and liquidity is generally a strength for the region

    Gulf states’ heavy reliance on public sector and government-related deposits has proved valuable in the current environment, anchoring banks’ funding profiles and helping reduce potential risks.

    Fund outflows have not materialised to any significant degree. “We had some anecdotal evidence of funds being withdrawn, but they returned in the following weeks,” says Ramsdale.

    Solid fundamentals

    GCC banks entered the conflict period in strong shape. According to S&P, domestic private sector credit growth in the region remained robust in the first quarter – the annualised growth rate was 8% at the end of March. 

    Core capital buffers are about 15%-16% – higher still for the top lenders – ensuring total loss-absorbing capacity stays below 9% of equity. Regulatory ratios exceed relevant thresholds, providing a significant buffer, according to ratings agency Moody’s.

    “If you look at the whole region, the proportion of the lending book that is non-performing, on a weighted average basis, sits around 2%,” says Badis Shubailat, a senior analyst at Moody’s. 

    “Against this solid level of asset quality, you have a cushion of provisions for expected losses that more than covers the existing stock of problem loans, which provides a strong first line of defence.”

    Then, as a second line of defence, are core capital buffers that remain high by global standards, with levels around 15%-16%. Put together, this explains why the banks are sitting on comfortable positions in terms of loss-absorption capacity.

    At the end of Q1 2025, the top 45 GCC banks reported an average Tier 1 capital ratio of 17%, with coverage ratios of 155.8%, according to S&P. 

    “Credit losses are at historical lows of 50 basis points (bps) for the region, and there are very good provisioning buffers – all of which helps to mitigate the negative consequences of the expected asset quality deterioration,” says Tatjana Lescova, director and lead analyst at S&P.

    According to Shubailat, the fact that the conflict impact on GCC banks has not been as pronounced as on other sectors reflects that over the past three years – and until right before the conflict started – the region as a whole, and its banking systems, had demonstrated remarkable resilience. In contrast, major advanced economies were struggling with inflationary pressures and subdued economic growth. 

    “This was visible in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the two largest economic diversification engines in the region, which happen to also represent more than two-thirds of total banking system assets,” says Shubailat.

    Limited exposure

    Gulf banks have also been helped by the fact that those economic sectors most impacted by conflict – tourism, hospitality, energy – do not generally form a large part of their collective loans books. 

    “There will be weaker performance of borrowers in the most obvious affected sectors like infrastructure, tourism, logistics, transport and real estate, but tourism is actually a pretty small exposure for the banks – less than 3% of loan books,” says Ramsdale. “There might be a bit of pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are less able to cope with the pressures than the larger corporates, but again, for banks, SME lending is not very big.” 

    Banks’ exposure to the real estate and construction sectors is highest in Qatar – 31% of total credit at the end of March – while the exposure in Kuwait stands at 25%, with Saudi Arabia at 16% and Bahrain at 12%, notes S&P. UAE banks have been consistently reducing their exposure to these sectors, down to 13% at the end of March, compared to 21% at year-end 2020. 

    Moody’s Shubailat says that developers in the UAE sit on solid balance sheets and strong revenue backlogs, while banks’ exposure to the construction sector has declined. “So the quantum is lower, the credit quality of the exposure is better, and the banks are sitting on higher capital and provisioning buffers,” he notes.

    Gulf bankers are not resting on their laurels. They know that even if bad loans have been limited, they cannot forestall the possibility of problem exposures further down the road. 

    “Asset quality deterioration is a risk that we expect to materialise later in the year. This is because of weaker macro expectations, and negative impact on some of the corporate sectors, albeit varying across different GCC countries,” says Lescova.

    On average, for the region, S&P expects 20 bps of increases in credit losses for this year. When it comes to asset quality, the regulatory forbearance measures announced by three central banks will help alleviate the impact.

    Policy support

    Central bank moves have added another layer of support. Forbearance measures from the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar central banks have allowed additional headroom.

    For example, in mid-March, the Central Bank of the UAE launched a five-pillar resilience package that relaxed capital buffer stipulations, representing more than $272bn in support. 

    Kuwait eased liquidity requirements, raised maximum lending limits and released a portion of the capital conservation buffer to expand refinancing and credit quality absorption capacity. Qatar, meanwhile, has cut the reserve requirement from 4.5% to 3.5% for deposits.

    Forbearance measures from the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar central banks have allowed additional headroom

    Such measures were not a response to a banking crisis, says Ramsdale. “Some of the support packages that we have seen coming out of the central banks, in the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, were preventative support measures,” he says.

    “They were designed to boost confidence and limit that pass through from temporary deposit volatility. It was not to do with acute banking stress.”

    Market confidence

    Larger banks are better positioned to cope with straitened economic times. They are generally more geographically diversified beyond their domestic markets, and international operations have historically been a growth driver for them. 

    “When there is increased market uncertainty, larger banks may benefit from a flight-to-quality movement, with deposits moved away from smaller banks. Based on Q1 results, only a few smaller banks have reported a contraction in the customer deposits,” says Lescova.

    The GCC’s largest banks, including Al-Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation, Saudi National Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Qatar National Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Emirates NBD, remain highly profitable, although they may not perform as strongly as they would have had the conflict not occurred.

    “We already expected some softening in profitability before the conflict, because of the normalisation of the cost of risk upwards from incredibly low levels over the last three years, [which] were driven by a very strong recovery performance from the banks,” says Shubailat. 

    “In turn, this current situation adds a layer of pressure to the normalising profitability story by increasing provisioning needs in light of the recent economic shocks,” he adds.  

    Confidence in GCC banks was evident from the outset of the conflict. In early April, Emirates NBD priced a $750m AT1 capital issuance, the first international debt capital markets transaction by a GCC issuer since late February.

    “The first ceasefire saw things like private placements start happening again, and that slowly translated into the opening up of public markets. 

    “Emirates NBD was one of the first banks to open up that market, and we are seeing the largest banks issuing again,” says Ramsdale.

    The operating environment for Saudi Arabia is ranked BBB+ – a strong position, all things considered. Ramsdale notes that Riyadh’s reprioritisation of large projects associated with Vision 2030 “means growth will probably be slightly slower in Saudi Arabia”, but adds: “That is actually a good thing, because growth was so strong it was beginning to pressure funding, liquidity and capitalisation. 

    “Taking off some of that pressure is a positive for banks.”

    Growth prospects

    Stronger earnings performances will allow banks to bankroll mergers and acquisitions (M&A), building on inorganic routes to growth. Within the past year, the National Bank of Bahrain and Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait (BBK) have agreed to explore a merger, while BBK has also absorbed HSBC’s retail banking business.

    Emirates NBD is reported to be looking to acquire HSBC’s business in Turkiye, a country where the Dubai bank already has a presence through its takeover of DenizBank in 2019. It also grew its stake in India’s RBL Bank this year to 60%. 

    “Certainly the big banks will remain opportunistic over M&A – where the value comes at the right price, then they are interested. And if the big international banks are going to pull out, they tend to have some of the best-quality assets, so you can understand why regional players might be interested in them,” says Ramsdale.

    Such moves should provide reassurance that, despite recent challenges, GCC banks are well placed to ride out the remainder of 2026 and resume the positive trajectory  that was evident before the Iran war shook the region. 

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17722682/main.gif
    James Gavin
  • Contractor wins The Chedi residences Dubai contract

    27 July 2026

    Dubai-based firm Ancient Builders Constructions has won a contract to build The Chedi Private Residences, located in the Barsha Heights area near Sheikh Zayed Road.

    The contract was awarded by local developer Al-Seeb Real Estate Development.

    The project comprises a 250-metre-tall, 44-storey tower and will offer about 117 residential units upon completion.

    Enabling works are under way and are being undertaken by local firm Soiltec Piling & Foundation.

    Dubai-based High Art Engineering Consultancy is the project consultant.

    Local architectural firms Bruno Guelaff and BG Group are the project designers.

    Construction is expected to be completed by 2029.

    Al-Seeb Real Estate Development’s latest contract award in the UAE market comes amid heightened real estate activity in the construction sector. Schemes worth more than $323bn are in the execution or planning stages, according to UK-based analytics firm GlobalData.

    GlobalData forecasts that output from the UAE’s residential construction sector will grow by 3% in real terms over 2026-29, supported by infrastructure, energy and utilities developments, as well as residential construction projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17785193/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Saudi Arabia issues RFP for Group 2 bess projects

    27 July 2026

     

    Saudi Arabia’s principal buyer, Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), has issued the request for proposals (RFP) for the second phase of its independent battery energy storage system (bess) projects in Saudi Arabia.

    The Group 2 programme comprises six independent storage provider (ISP) projects with a total capacity of 3GW, equivalent to 12,000 megawatt-hours based on a four-hour storage duration.

    According to a source, the RFP was issued earlier in July and developers have since submitted a first round of clarification requests to SPPC as they prepare their bids. 

    Developers have until October to submit proposals, the source said.

    The six bess projects include:

    • Samha bess ISP: 500MW (Qassim)
    • Al-Leeth bess ISP: 500MW (Mecca)
    • Al-Henakiyah bess ISP: 500MW (Medina)
    • Khulis bess ISP: 500MW (Mecca)
    • Sadawi bess ISP: 500MW (Eastern Province)
    • Ashyrah bess ISP: 500MW (Mecca)

    On 1 July, MEED reported that up to 27 firms had prequalified to participate in the second phase. SPPC previously received statements of qualification on 13 May.

    It is understood that Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Masdar, UAE), Acwa (Saudi Arabia), EDF (France), Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea), International Power (Engie, France) and Marubeni Corporation (Japan) are among the companies likely to make offers for the contracts.

    Winning bidders will hold 100% equity in a special purpose vehicle (SPV), with each SPV entering into a storage services agreement with SPPC as part of the independent storage provider structure. 

    The programme forms part of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) and supports the kingdom’s target of generating about 50% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. The projects will be developed under a build-own-operate model.

    US/India-based Synergy Consulting is advising SPPC on the energy storage Group 1 and Group 2 programme.

    Contracts are expected to be awarded for Group 1 Bess projects in the coming months, with both Acwa and Engie understood to be frontrunners for these contracts.

    Separately, SPPC has extended the deadline for developers bidding for four solar projects under round seven of the NREP, led and supervised by the Ministry of Energy.

    The deadline for the four solar photovoltaic independent power producer (IPP) projects with a combined capacity of 3,100MW has been extended to 30 August.

    The deadline for the two wind IPPs with a combined capacity of 2,200MW has been extended to 14 September.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17742724/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Dubai opens major road bridge

    27 July 2026

    Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a new bridge under the Oud Metha and Al-Asayel streets development project, which is part of the wider Sheikh Rashid Corridor development project.

    According to the RTA, the three-lane bridge has the capacity to accommodate more than 3,600 vehicles an hour.

    It will serve traffic travelling from Al-Khail Road to Al-Asayel Street via Al-Wasl Club Street.

    The RTA said the project is 90% complete overall, with two tunnels scheduled to open in August.

    “The first tunnel will connect the service road on Oud Metha Street to the Sheikh Rashid Road intersection for traffic heading towards Bur Dubai, while the second will serve traffic coming from Dubai-Al-Ain Road towards Al-Wasl Club Street,” the statement added.

    The RTA will also open a new bridge for left-turn movements for traffic travelling from Al-Asayel Street to Oud Metha Street.

    In November 2024, MEED exclusively reported that Beijing-headquartered China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) had started mobilisation works on the project.

    The RTA awarded CCECC the AED600m ($163m) contract in October of that year.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17784921/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Firms submit Jebel Ali sewage PPP prequalifications

    24 July 2026

     

    Dubai Municipality received statements of qualification on 23 July from firms interested in delivering phase three of the Jebel Ali sewage treatment plant (STP) expansion project.

    Known as DS150/3, the project will be delivered under a public-private partnership (PPP) model on a design, build, finance, own, operate and transfer basis.

    The project involves the development of a new water resource recovery facility with an ultimate treatment capacity of up to 1 million cubic metres a day (cm/d).

    It is being procured through Dubai Municipality’s sewerage and recycled water projects department and will be delivered via a two-stage operational approach over a 30-year concession period.

    It is understood that the following firms are among those likely to qualify for the project:

    • Acciona (Spain)
    • Alkhorayef (Saudi Arabia)
    • Besix (Belgium)
    • Etihad WE (UAE)
    • GS Inima (Spain)
    • Metito (UAE)
    • Miahona (Saudi Arabia) 
    • Samsung E&A (South Korea)
    • Saur (France)
    • Suez (France)
    • Taqa Water Solutions (UAE)
    • Veolia (France)

    The municipality issued a request for qualifications notice in May with an intial bid submission deadline of 18 June. UK-headquartered Deloitte is acting as financial adviser, Aecom is the project's technical adviser and CMS is the legal adviser.

    Dubai Municipality said the project will also include additional land uses and community-focused amenities as part of broader sustainability and urban integration objectives.

    Phase one and two expansion

    On 9 July, firms submitted bids for an engineering, procurement and construction contract covering the expansion of the Jebel Ali STP phases one and two.

    Located on a 670-hectare site in Jebel Ali, the original wastewater facility has a treatment capacity of about 675,000 cm/d, following the completion of phase two in 2019, combining approximately 300,000 cm/d from phase one and 375,000 cm/d from phase two.

    The upgraded facility will be capable of treating an additional sewage flow of 100,000 cm/d, with the expansion estimated to cost $300m.

    UK-headquartered KPMG and UAE-based Tribe Infrastructure are serving as financial advisers on the project.

    READ THE JULY 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Stress test for Gulf aviation; Mixed performance as country outlooks diverge in the Levant; GCC tourism sector pivots from crisis to recovery mode.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17735401/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall