Baker Hughes, a GE company, said it has made 10,000 drill bits in Saudi Arabia at its plant in Dhahran, since 2011
About 36 per cent of drill bits made at the plant are supplied to Saudi Aramco, while the rest are exported to 41 countries including US, China, India and Russia among others.
The Houston, Texas-based company said it planned to increase production capacity by 50 per cent next year and double the number of jobs at the plant. The company is also looking to boost exports to 75 per cent of the total production.
“The production milestone achieved by our Drill Bit Manufacturing Facility in Dhahran is a strong statement on our localization commitment; we have been partnering in the energy sector of the Kingdom for over 80 years and we are evolving and growing in line with the growth aspirations of Saudi Arabia. Today, under Saudi Vision 2030, the emphasis is on building localized manufacturing competencies, creating jobs for Saudi nationals and boosting exports – all functions that are served by the facility. Furthermore, the facility’s growth complements Saudi Aramco’s in-Kingdom Total Value Add program by strengthening local value supply chains of Saudi SMEs,” Rami Qasem, CEO, BHGE, Middle East, North Africa, Turkey & India, said.
“The Kingdom’s first commercially viable oil discovery – the Prosperity Well, Dammam No 7 – was drilled using BHGE drill bits, which were imported from the US. Today, these drill bits are not only manufactured in the Kingdom but also exported globally. Over the years, we have been supporting Saudi Aramco’s mission to be the leading supplier of hydrocarbons in the world, and through our strong localized presence – with manufacturing and service facilities in the Kingdom – we will continue to serve our partners, delivering efficient and timely support,” Nick Nawfal, vice-president and CEO, BHGE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, said.
