

Sarens, a global leader in heavy lifting and engineered transport, is playing a key role in the Jafurah Gas Field Development, a project set to dramatically increase Saudi Arabia’s gas production. The company has deployed a specialised fleet of cranes and transporters to handle the massive components of the gas processing facility, a critical part of the kingdom’s energy strategy.
The Jafurah development, which began its first phase of construction in late 2022, is designed to meet growing domestic demand and ambitious liquefied natural gas (LNG) export targets.
Once the full infrastructure comes online in 2027, the two-phase project will boost Saudi Arabia’s gas output from approximately 14 billion cu ft per day (bcfd) to more than 18 bcfd.
Sarens was contracted by Samsung Saudi Arabia for the heavy lift and transport operations. The company’s engineering team selected three cranes with lifting capacities of 1,250, 600, and 150 tons, along with a 120-axle self-propelled modular transport (SPMT) to manage the project’s scale.
The company is providing transportation and heavy lifting services for the gas processing facility along with the LNG fractionation plant, the gas compression system and approximately 1,500 km network of main transfer pipelines, flow lines and gathering pipelines.
The equipment is being used for the transport and lifting of 34 modules, including 30 pipe racks and four process unit modules, with a total weight of 18,535 tons. The heaviest module weighs 1,100 tons, and the tallest stands at 42 m. Sarens is also handling 108 other heavy items, with a total weight of 12,283 tons, according to the company.
The simultaneous construction of the two phases is a rare undertaking for a project of this magnitude, a strategy also seen in projects like Qatar’s North Field and Russia’s Yamal LNG. Jafurah’s progressive schedule is aimed at optimising investments and infrastructure required for the simultaneous construction of both phases.
The first phase will be oriented towards the development of unconventional gas resources, while the second phase will focus on the expansion and development of large-scale production.
The project is crucial to Saudi Arabia’s energy transition goals, as it will help reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil for power generation and provide feedstock for the growing petrochemicals industry. By 2030, Jafurah is expected to produce more than 10 bcfd, solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a world leader in unconventional gas.
Sarens, a the global leader in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services, has extensive experience in the region’s oil and gas sector, with previous projects including work for Saudi Aramco’s Marjan Field Package 1 and QatarEnergy’s North Field.