Ideas that Mean Business

Many large-scale projects require efficiently planned, centralized industrial complexes. Bechtel has developed a variety of such complexes ranging from free-trade zones to entire cities. For decades, we have helped customers bring such ambitious concepts—and businesses—to life.

Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia
What started as an ambitious vision has evolved into the world’s largest civil engineering project—and one of Bechtel’s most remarkable achievements. Jubail is a city built from the ground up, requiring vast resources and logistical planning on an unprecedented scale. Bechtel has developed and managed the master planning, design, and construction of the project since it began in the mid-1970s. Our work included planning one of the world’s largest petrochemical complexes, along with support infrastructure for highways, schools, commercial areas, and residential neighborhoods. In 2004, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu asked Bechtel to manage Jubail II, a $3.8 billion expansion of the city’s industrial and residential areas.

Ras Laffan, Qatar
This natural gas project—more than 100 square kilometers (24,710 acres) in size—was assigned to Bechtel for master planning project services in conjunction with LNG development work by the State of Qatar. The planning effort included site assessments and selection, and a master plan for industrial and port facilities. Ras Laffan was chosen as the site because of its proximity to the country’s gas reserves and to international shipping routes. Bechtel later constructed Ras Laffan’s associated gas plant and offshore facilities.

Sainshand Industrial Complex, Mongolia
Bechtel was selected by the National Development and Innovation Committee of Mongolia to provide master planning services for the Sainshand Industrial Complex. The project includes major coal, steel, copper, and power facilities, as well as highway and rail links to transportation centers in neighboring China, Russia, and other countries to the west. As the largest industrial program in this rapidly growing Asian economy, Sainshand will play a key role in the country’s development.

Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia
Building on our success at Jubail, the Royal Commission tasked Bechtel the development of the master plan for this new industrial city. Project development includes planning an entire city and industrial zone to support phosphate, aluminum, and metals processing. The project, now under construction, will be accessed by new roads and rail systems, and includes a deepwater port. Ras Al Khair is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to diversify its economy into industrial minerals and related products.

Dubai Free-Trade Zone, United Arab Emirates
Bechtel developed a master plan at the Dubai International Airport to accommodate more than 100 tenants in a newly planned free-trade zone. The company provided program management services, economic modeling, and real estate assessments for the industrial, warehousing, cargo, and international corporate office space facilities. When fully developed, this major infrastructure program will encompass a nearly 400-hectare (988 acres) site.

Queensland LNG Projects, Australia
Bechtel was tasked to develop simultaneously three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Gladstone, Australia. In addition to engineering, procuring, and constructing the plants, Bechtel is providing planning, logistics, materials transport, and construction staging services. The projects will roughly double the capacity for LNG processing and transport from Australia to China and Asia.