Program Acceleration: A Case Study

Karan Gas Program has successfully completed Saudi Aramco’s first offshore, non-associated gas development achieving record early gas in 2 years and 3 months with full production in 3 years and 4 months. Figure 1 shows completion of the first offshore non-associated gas production platforms. The Karan gas field is located offshore approximately 110 KM in Saudi Arabian Gulf territorial waters. It was discovered in 2007 and has a production capacity of 1,800 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of natural gas. The Karan Program achieved the corporate objective of maintaining sales gas supply to Saudi Arabia from 2011 onwards by executing the 1,800 MMSCFD non-associated sour gas program. The increased gas supply will be utilized for power generation, water desalination, chemical feed stocks, and as sales gas. The increased utilization of natural gas for domestic consumption decreases the amount of fuel oil required, thereby freeing up that valuable commodity for export and commercial utilization. In order to meet its business objectives and provide value to its stakeholders, the program was executed under four sub – projects that were developed concurrently.