Aramco将扩建油田

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Bloomberg) — Saudi Arabian Oil Co. will complete the expansion of its Shaybah oil field by the end of May, allowing the biggest crude exporter in the world to maintain the level of its total production capacity, according to two people with knowledge of the plan.

Shaybah’s production capacity will rise to 1 MMbpd from 750,000 bpd, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The field, in the Empty Quarter desert near the border with the United Arab Emirates, produces extra light grade crude with API gravity of 42 degrees, they said.

Shaybah’s expansion will help Saudi Aramco, as the state producer is known, to keep the company’s output capacity at 12 MMbpd, they said.

Saudi Arabia is maintaining investments in oil production as the kingdom pursues a strategy to defend market share amid a global glut. Saudi Aramco will keep investing in its crude oil production capacity, CEO Amin Nasser said last month. The company also plans to complete the expansion of Khurais oil field to 1.5 MMbpd in 2018, he said.