Saudi Aramco asset sales plan signals strategic shift in global energy finance

Saudi Aramco is exploring a sweeping round of asset sales that could reshape how the company manages its vast energy and infrastructure network.

The early discussions show the oil giant assessing ways to raise billions of dollars by selling a mix of holdings.

The plans, reported by Bloomberg, come at a time when global energy markets have shifted, oil prices have fallen sharply this year, and the kingdom continues to channel funds into major economic transformation projects.

The moves under review would exceed previous deals in both scale and scope and would deepen investor access to some of the firm’s most lucrative segments.

Terminals review

A central part of Aramco’s early-stage planning is a potential sale of a stake in its oil export and storage terminals.

Banks have already been asked to pitch for feasibility work on the disposals, and the assets could attract interest worth more than ten billion dollars.

Bloomberg notes that the company is examining whether fresh equity could be raised from the deal or if a structure similar to the recent eleven billion dollar lease arrangement linked to the Jafurah gas project would be more suitable.

That Jafurah transaction drew wide interest from global investors through a group led by BlackRock Inc’s Global Infrastructure Partners.

Bankers have since approached Aramco with additional disposal proposals, encouraged by rising investor appetite for long-term energy infrastructure exposure.

Real estate shift

Alongside the terminal evaluation, Aramco is also considering selling parts of its real estate portfolio.

Experts said the assets are likely to generate significant interest at a time when Saudi Arabia is progressing with reforms that would expand foreign ownership.

These potential sales form part of a broader strategy to assess where capital can be freed for other commitments while maintaining operational stability.

Global footprint

According to Bloomberg, Aramco’s main terminals for crude storage and exports sit at Ras Tanura on the Persian Gulf, with additional terminals on the Red Sea.

Its international network includes stakes in product terminals in the Netherlands, along with leased crude and product storage at major trade hubs in Egypt and Okinawa in Japan.

Oil prices have fallen by about a fifth this year. While higher output has softened the impact of lower prices, the company has delayed some projects and increased its consideration of asset sales to generate liquidity for priority investments.

The measures represent a shift from earlier disposals, which largely focused on pipeline infrastructure rather than broader operational units.

Economic role

Aramco remains the anchor of the Saudi economy, with revenue from energy sales and its dividend distribution playing a central part in funding the kingdom’s large-scale development plans.

Some of these national projects have faced rising costs, making the stability of cash flows even more important.

At the same time, Aramco continues to invest heavily in long-term projects, including the Jafurah gas development.

Jafurah is expected to begin production this year and aims to reach full capacity in 2030, reinforcing the company’s strategic expansion into the gas sector while it reviews options to recycle capital from other parts of its portfolio.

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