RIYADH: Saudi Arabian Mining Co., also known as Ma’aden, awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management contract to Australian consultant Worley and Morocco’s JESA International for the first phase of its Phosphate 3 project. 

All sides plan on reaching a conclusive agreement regarding the EPCM contracts in the coming months, Worley noted in a statement.  

“We are pleased that Worley has been selected for providing services to Ma’aden’s Phosphate 3 development program that is expected to make Saudi Arabia one of the leading phosphate fertilizer exporters worldwide,” said Chris Ashton, CEO of Worley in the statement.  

As per the agreement, in-Kingdom services will be provided by Worley, while out-of-Kingdom services will be provided by JESA International.   

The project consists of the design and construction of new process plants in the Saudi industrial cities of Wa’ad Al Shamal and Ras Al-Khair.   

The statement also noted that the plants are part of an integrated greenfield complex that aims to generate 1.5 million metric tons of phosphate fertilizers a year.  

Implementation will take place through Worley’s offices in Saudi Arabia and India and JESA’s facility in Morocco, according to the statement.   

Ma'aden aims to complete the first phase of its Phosphate 3 complex in 2025 and the second phase in 2027, it said in its second-quarter 2022 investor presentation.