Saudi Aramco has signed an $11 billion lease and leaseback deal involving its Jafurah gas processing facilities with a consortium of international investors, led by funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a part of BlackRock.

“Jafurah is a cornerstone of our ambitious gas expansion program, and the GIP-led consortium’s participation as investors in a key component of our unconventional gas operations demonstrates the attractive value proposition of the project. This foreign direct investment into the Kingdom also highlights the appeal of Aramco’s long-term strategy to the international investment community,” said Amin H. Nasser, Aramco President & CEO.

Jafurah is the largest non-associated gas development in Saudi Arabia, estimated to contain 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas and 75 billion Stock Tank Barrels of condensate. It is a key component in Aramco’s plans to increase gas production capacity by 60 percent between 2021 and 2030, to meet rising demand.

As part of the transaction a newly-formed subsidiary, Jafurah Midstream Gas Company (JMGC), will lease development and usage rights for the Jafurah Field Gas Plant and the Riyas NGL Fractionation Facility, and lease them back to Aramco for a period of 20 years.

JMGC will receive a tariff payable by Aramco in exchange for granting Aramco the exclusive right to receive, process and treat raw gas from Jafurah. Aramco will hold a 51 percent majority stake in JMGC, with the remaining 49 percent held by investors led by GIP.

The opportunity to invest in one of the region’s most significant natural gas developments garnered significant interest from investors worldwide. Co-investors in the transaction include leading institutional investors from Asia and the Middle East. When completed, the transaction will support the optimization of Aramco’s assets and capture additional value from the development of the Jafurah gas field.

Source: Economymiddleeast