King to open 6 mega projects today

Dammam, Nov 25: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has paid tribute to the warm hospitality of people in the Eastern Province.

Addressing a reception held in his honor in Dammam on Thursday evening, King Salman said: “I deeply thank the people of this region, among (whom) I will always be pleased to find myself, for their unbound hospitality.”

He said the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan reflected the strength and the might of the Saudi economy. “(It is) a vision that will provide the Kingdom (with) wider and more comprehensive prospects,” he said, according to SPA.

“Our approach is steadfast and rock-solid; it is seeking a comprehensive, balanced and integrated development in various parts of the Kingdom,” the king added, promising to “make opportunities available to all and to realize legitimate aspirations, within the framework of the state’s rules and norms.”

King Salman is in Dammam to open six mega projects developed by the energy giant Saudi Aramco, which are expected to be launched on Friday.

At the reception, King Salman was accompanied by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman. The king was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif and Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif.

Prince Saud bin Naif welcomed the king, expressing pleasure at the royal visit.

“Words fail to express the sentiments harbored by the well-wishing citizenry of the region on this exceptional occasion of having the king among us,” the governor said, assuring the king that the entire nation will work hard to implement the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

One of the projects to be launched on Friday is the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (iThra), which is a platform to encourage creativity, innovation and communication between different cultures, promote Saudi Arabia’s efforts in building a knowledge-based economy and deal with modern technologies of new generations.

The center seeks to enhance investment in members of the community to encourage learning and exploration, as well as find economic opportunities by developing a generation of thinkers, innovators and creators in the Kingdom. The center also seeks to provide unlimited economic opportunities as a result of such innovation and creation.

The king will also inaugurate the Khurais oil field, which is one of the last giant oil fields to be discovered in the world. The oil field has obtained a high global ranking in terms of size, and is located near the world’s largest oil field, Ghawar.

Among the other large projects to be launched and expanded is the project to increase crude oil production at the Manifa oil field, one of the largest crude oil production projects in the world.

King Salman will also inaugurate the Wasit gas plant project, north of Jubail Industrial City, which is set to help meet Saudi Arabia’s energy needs. The project comes as part of Vision 2030, which stipulates as part of its economic plan the importance of doubling gas production levels and establishing a natural network to expand distribution activities.

The king will also inaugurate the expansion project of the Shaybah crude oil field, which is one of the largest projects of its kind, in both the Middle East and wider world.