Saudi Arabia’s futuristic mega-city NEOM has awarded a contract to U.S.-based Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the primary, base infrastructure for NEOM, according to a press release issued by NEOM.
NEOM, a new planned city in Saudi Arabia’s northwest along the shore of the Red Sea and near Egypt that was announced in October 2017 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, selected Bechtel to “oversee and create resource-efficient utilities and a highly advanced transport system to connect NEOM’s cognitive cities,” according to the release.
Bechtel has one of the longest track records of any Western-based company in Saudi Arabia, having worked on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and construction in the Kingdom since the 1940s. The company began work on the trans-Arabian oil pipeline in 1947 across Saudi Arabia, and Bechtel has worked on many large projects in the Kingdom since then, including King Khalid International Airport, Jubail Industrial City, and the Riyadh metro project, among others.
NEOM selected Bechtel for its project management expertise. “Work will include simultaneous construction in multiple locations requiring extraordinary engineering solutions in challenging terrain,” NEOM said.
Bechtel workers in Saudi Arabia.
“NEOM is one of the most complex projects in living memory and we are proud to be part of it,” Bechtel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Bechtel said. “The vision for a futuristic, innovative and sustainable ecosystem is unique and bold, and we believe NEOM will change the way new cities are developed by future generations. We have helped our customers shape the Kingdom’s history with many key projects and we are honored to be a partner in building its future.”
Neither NEOM nor Bechtel disclosed the size of the contract.
NEOM will be home to an economy and society oriented to the future with a technologically advanced, sustainable infrastructure powered by 100% renewable energy to support truly liveable cities, NEOM says.
NEOM has accelerated work this year in many areas including a contract with Saudi telecom giant, STC, for the establishment of a 5G network infrastructure that will accelerate NEOM’s digital ambitions. It also signed a $5-billion partnership with US-based Air Products and Saudi Acwa Power to develop the world’s largest green hydrogen and green ammonia plant to be operational in 2025.
