TABUK – Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi has announced the discovery of petroleum, gas and mineral resources in the Tabuk region. “The region is on the threshold of great fortunes and is giving glad tidings to citizens in all regions of the Kingdom about its reserves of petroleum, gas and mineral resources. The first production of gas in the region will begin from Madyan field in 2013,” he told reporters at Prince Sultan Airport Monday. Naimi arrived here to inspect the ongoing work with regard to these resources, being carried out by the ministry and Saudi Aramco. “We came here to inspect the work progress, and will announce, God willing, Tuesday details of those sites that we are going to visit. These include wells and sites where minerals like phosphate have already been discovered,” he said, adding that this would offer bright future for Tabuk and other regions of the Kingdom. Replying to questions about operation of gas fields that have been discovered recently, Naimi said these fields will be developed to boost local consumption of gas. He noted that this would include both onshore and offshore production. “The Madyan field will be developed in 2013 and it would start production within a short period. It would boost electric power plants run by gas instead of diesel, and both electricity and gas would reach industrial zones that will be built in Tabuk in future,” the minister said. Referring to the discovery of huge reserves of iron in Wadi Al-Sawaween, Naimi said the concession for production was already granted and new iron industries would come up there soon. Saudi Aramco President and CEO Khaled Al-Faleh said that the latest discovery of gas in the Red Sea off the coast of Tabuk is the indication of the promising plenty of wealth in the region. “The first phase of production consists of digging of seven wells and these include deep sea and offshore wells. Gas from the Madyan field, which was discovered in 80s, will be pumped to Duba where an electricity plant and distribution network in the industrial area will be established,” he added. – SG/SPA
