Saudi Aramco, the world’s top exporter of crude oil and natural gas and Nabors Industries, a global leader in drilling rigs, have signed an agreement to form a new joint venture in Saudi Arabia to manage and operate onshore drilling rigs.

The joint venture, which will be equally owned by Saudi Aramco and Nabors, is anticipated to be formed and commence operations in the second quarter of 2017.

As part of its commitment to developing a competitive Saudi energy sector, Saudi Aramco has sought to localize industry hubs in order to foster economic diversification and job creation. This joint venture is one of the anchor projects that has grown out of this strategy which supports the wider development and localization of industries such as rig and rig equipment manufacturing and casting and forging.

The joint venture will leverage Nabors' established business in Saudi Arabia to begin operations, with a focus on Saudi Arabia's existing and future onshore oil and gas fields. Saudi Aramco and Nabors will each contribute land rigs to the joint venture in the first years of operation along with capital commitments toward future onshore drilling rigs which will be manufactured in Saudi Arabia.

Nabors chairman, president and CEO, Anthony G Petrello, stated: "Nabors has had a decades-long and a mutually beneficial relationship with Saudi Aramco. We welcome this opportunity to expand that relationship, extend our commitment to the Kingdom, and create a long-term, profitable growth partnership with high skills career opportunities for Saudi employees”

“This venture represents a new chapter in the operator - contractor relationship. We fully expect the venture's shared interest and collaborative efforts to result in even higher levels of safety and efficiency, while enhancing Saudi Aramco's well productivity and cost savings,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service