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Bechtel’s Impact Report

Jubail Industrial City

Saudi Arabia
Aerial view of Jubail

Continuing to grow one of the largest and most prosperous industrial cities in the world

Jubail is one of Bechtel's proudest collaborations — a city built from the sand up, requiring vast resources and logistical planning on an unprecedented scale. It is the biggest civil engineering project in modern times, and it continues to grow.

Our team of world-leading engineers and project managers were chosen by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu in the mid-1970s to help plan and deliver the project, which is in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Over the decades, we have worked with our customer to transform Jubail from the deserted suburbs of an ancient fishing and pearling village to a 687+ sq. miles (1,106+ sq. km) major industrial complex with harbor and port facilities, and which accounts for 7% of the country's gross domestic product.

A partnership based on common goals, a one-team approach with the Saudi Royal Commission, and an unwavering focus on delivering to help business and communities prosper has been key to the team's ongoing success.

In 2006, Bechtel was invited to manage a further expansion of the city's industrial and living areas. Jubail II provided residential accommodation for 120,000 residents; education facilities including an 18,000-student 'greenfield' university; as well as roads, bridges, medical centers, power, water, and waste facilities. Today Jubail is a major player in the global energy market, attracting top technical and business minds from dozens of countries.

Beyond master planning

Jubail involved strategic planning and project management on a historic scale. At peak, the workforce reached 20,000 a month, delivering major, complex projects including:

  • the Ras Al Khair Industrial City, planned over two years in 2009, covering an ever-expanding area in excess of 124+ sq. miles (200+ sq. km);
  • Jubail Industrial City Airport, covering an area of 29+ sq. miles (47+ sq. km), and which is anticipated to open to civilian flights in due course;
  • a major residential area for more than 120,000 people; and
  • expansion of the King Fahd Industrial Port for both commercial and industrial business, including in-demand metals like aluminum and iron ore, and general cargo for the entire industrial complex as well as for a large surrounding region of Saudi Arabia.

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Roads to connect

A modern regional highway system links the Jubail community to other parts of the kingdom, giving local people access to the main cities across Saudi Arabia and beyond. A main highway between Dammam and Jubail, six lanes wide within the project area, forms the spine of the development. Feeder and collector roads branch off to community and industrial areas. Bechtel managed all roadway development, engineering, and construction.

Recycling on a grand scale

The Bechtel-Royal Commission team created a mega recycling initiative across all 50 contract sites on this project. The scheme used or recycled more than 198 tons of wooden pallets, 87 tons of oil, 481 tons of scrap metal, 15 tons of cardboard, 5 tons of plastic, and 7,000 tons of demolished asphalt and other granular waste. These efforts reduced waste by 8,000 tons.