Page 12 - MEOG Week 05 2023

MEOG PROJECTS & COMPANIES MEOG

Aramco signs 100+ deals

during iktva Forum

SAUDI ARABIA MAJORITY state-backed Saudi Aramco solutions with Taulia, a system integration agree-
reported that it had signed more than 100 ment with Accenture and an arrangement with
agreements and memoranda of understand- Hassana Investment Co. to establish a national
ing (MoUs) during the first day of an event in champion, among others.
Dhahran. An important sign of the iktva programme’s
The event is the seventh in-Kingdom total progress is the development of two major oilfield
value-add (iktva) Forum, which attracted more and energy services hubs in the Eastern Province
than 10,000 visitors and nearly 300 companies – King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) and King
during the first day alone. Salman Global Maritime Industries Complex at
It saw the launch of Aramco Digital Co., a Ras Al Khair – to house new facilities that will
wholly owned subsidiary that “aims to acceler- support the energy sector.
ate digital transformation within the Kingdom SPARK is pegged as an “energy city megapro-
and the MENA region”, according to an Aramco ject which will position Saudi Arabia as a global
press release. energy, industrial and technology hub”, with the
This quoted executive VP of Technical Ser- first phase of development expected to take place
vices Ahmad Al-Sa’adi as saying: “Through this this year.
mega programme we are helping to create a In October Baker Hughes broke ground
culture of innovation and provide high quality on its new regional oilfield services centre at
jobs for our growing population. The launch of SPARK, located just to the east of Abqaiq, which
Aramco Digital Co. is a great example of such is home to an oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs)
innovation in action, providing state-of-the-art plant which handles up to 7mn barrels per day
AI and emerging technology expertise in a vital (bpd). Meanwhile, Emerson said in late January
sector of the economy.” that it would build a state-of-the-art innovation
This year’s iktva Forum is being dubbed and manufacturing hub at the facility by Decem-
‘Accelerating Future Success’ and is seen high- ber 2024.
lighting “localisation efforts in key focus areas Up the coast from Aramco’s major down-
including digital, sustainability, industrial and stream hubs at Ras Tanura and Jubail, Ras Al
manufacturing”. Khair will include units for rig and shipbuild-
Aramco said that it had signed a strategic ing with partners such as Hyundai, Lamprell,
partnership agreement with Zoom, a collab- McDermott and the national shipping firm
orative deal to implement supplier financing Bahri.™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 05 01•February•2023