General Electric Oil & Gas has completed the first six high-efficiency gas compression trains manufactured in Saudi Arabia, which will be provided for Phase I of Saudi Aramco's Master Gas System expansion project in the Kingdom. These six compression trains, which have been fully manufactured locally at the GE Manufacturing & Technology Center (GEMTEC) in Dammam, are part of a multi-million dollar contract to provide 18 high-efficiency gas compression trains, each consisting of an aero-derivative gas turbine driving a centrifugal compressor. This year, six more trains will be manufactured at GEMTEC as part of Phase II. The aero-derivative gas turbine (PGT25) components have been designed taking into account many years of experience gained by GE in the field by heavy-duty gas turbines and axial/centrifugal compression. The aerodynamic blading was planned with the main objective of obtaining very high efficiency at both design and reduced speeds. This is the first time that high-efficiency compression trains have been manufactured in Saudi Arabia at a center where 70 percent of the workforce are Saudi nationals. As part of this program, GE Oil & Gas has qualified a network of Saudi-based suppliers for Saudi and global GE markets. This is a demonstration of GE's commitment to Saudi Aramco's IKTVA program (In Kingdom Total Value Add) objectives to localize 70 percent of Saudi Aramco spending in the Kingdom by 2021. Rami Qasem, President and CEO, GE Oil & Gas, Middle East, North Africa & Turkey (MENAT), in a statement, said: "GE Oil & Gas places a very strong focus on localization. Today we're celebrating the first high-efficiency compression trains assembled locally, which represents a key milestone in our initiatives addressing Saudi Aramco's IKTVA program. How we are executing this project underpins our commitment to developing the Saudi economy through job creation, knowledge transfer and supporting local sourcing." Supporting the Kingdom's vision to boost domestic manufacturing and exports, GE Oil & Gas is also expanding its manufacturing facility at the MODON site in Dammam 2nd Industrial City to serve as a center for the supply of ‘Made in Saudi' Pressure Control equipment for Saudi and regional markets. The first phase of this expansion, which increased the facility to 10,500 square meters, was inaugurated in late 2015 by GE Oil & Gas President & CEO Lorenzo Simonelli in the presence of Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco; Rami Qasem, President & CEO, GE Oil & Gas, MENAT, and other senior officials. With a presence of over 80 years, three offices and seven facilities, Saudi Arabia accounts for the largest GE workforce in the Middle East with over 1,600 employees driving the Aviation, Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Power & Water and Transportation businesses. GE is focused on taking its work into the next industrial era with technological solutions that create economic and social value to the country and its people. — SG
