Wood’s 40-year presence in Saudi Arabia underscores its role in driving engineering excellence, supporting Vision 2030 and advancing key projects like Aramco’s carbon capture and sustainability efforts, Gerry Traynor tells OGN

Wood has been a cornerstone of engineering excellence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over four decades, establishing a reputation for reliable project delivery and cutting-edge technical expertise.

With a dedicated team of over 700 professionals, the company has contributed significantly to the region, delivering thousands of projects and amassing over 25 million workhours in engineering and management services.

Gerry Traynor has been the Senior Vice-President of Wood's Projects business since 2022, and is responsible for spearheading strategic growth in the Middle East.

In an exclusive interview to the OGN energy magazine, he says: "I’ve seen our global oil and gas industry boom and evolve. Priorities have shifted, demand has continued to grow and finding the balance between energy security and transition has created opportunities for our business to grow in the region.

Gerry Traynor ... delivering exciting projects Credit: Wood

"I’ve been lucky enough to lead amazing teams to deliver the world’s most exciting projects, focusing on ensuring safety, compliance and ethical practices while driving business success."

Below are excerpts from the interview:

How long has Wood been present in the region?

We’ve been in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for over four decades. During our time here, we’ve earned a reputation for our predictable project delivery, outstanding technical expertise and end-to-end engineering capabilities.

Our Saudi office, which employs over 700 talented people, has delivered thousands of projects, totalling over 25 million workhours of engineering and management services.

We have an exceptionally strong future pipeline of specialised studies, front-end engineering and design (FEED), detailed design, project management consultancy (PMC), EPCm and construction support for heavyweight industry leaders in the upstream, downstream, chemical and energy transition end markets right here in Saudi.

Over those 40 years, how have you seen KSA’s economy evolve?

During our time in the region as an engineering partner of choice, we’ve seen Saudi’s economy grow exponentially. This growth, of course, stems from its thriving petroleum sector.

Now, KSA finds itself in a state of transformation, sparked by Vision 2030. This ambitious government-driven roadmap has set out how the region will diversify its economy, drive growth in newer, low carbon industries and reduce oil dependence. At Wood, we’re delighted to be a part of that.

From the region’s oil boom to KSA’s new era, focused on decarbonisation and cleaner energies, Wood has been a partner every step of the way.

What can you tell us about the work you’re delivering in KSA?

As mentioned, we have an impressive client portfolio which, in addition to state-owned petroleum and natural gas company Saudi Aramco, includes Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Dussur, Sadara, Neom and Samref.

In 2011, we signed a General Engineering Services Framework Agreement with Aramco to support the development and upgrade of its facilities in KSA.

This programme includes a series of projects designed to enhance the region’s energy sustainability, diversify its economy, expand gas production, localise domestic content and develop local engineering capabilities to serve the Kingdom’s needs for many years to come.

Since then, we have provided end-to-end engineering services across a range of capital programmes on both brownfield and greenfield sites including the company’s Unconventional Gas Programme, Master Gas III System, Liquids-to-Chemicals (LTC) Programme, Accelerated Carbon Capture and Sequestration (ACCS) project, and more recently, the North and South Gas Increment Programme intended to increase the Kingdom’s gas production.

How is Wood supporting Aramco’s liquids-to-chemicals (LTC) programme?

Aramco’s global LTC programme is an exciting one for us. It aims to convert a sizeable portion of its oil production capacity into high-value petrochemicals and chemical feedstocks. Aramco and SABIC plan to establish a number of large mixed-feed crackers by 2030 as part of the petrochemicals investment scheme.

How significant is Aramco’s Accelerated Carbon Capture and Sequestration (ACCS) project for the region?

Earlier this year, Wood completed the FEED for the first phase of Aramco’s ACCS project in-region, expected to be the world’s largest CCS hub upon completion.

This project will capture emissions from Aramco’s gas plant facilities near Jubail and demonstrates a clear commitment from the company to support Saudi’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

We’ve now advanced into the second phase of the FEED, scheduled to complete by August, and will be supporting Aramco with their verification process with the selected EPC contractor.

Our design includes greenfield dehydration and compression facilities and a large gathering and transport network, including a 200+ kilometre dense liquid phase CO2 pipeline to the injection site.

We’re proud to be at the forefront of this pioneering project and supporting Aramco as our long-term client on both its energy security and transition ambitions.

How can we ensure a pipeline of future talent for these new, exciting projects?

Delivering pioneering projects calls for a unique blend of oil and gas expertise, complex engineering, new ideas and fresh thinking.

Wood’s Graduate Program in KSA is dedicated to empowering young talent in energy with an ambition to develop the next wave of engineers and project managers.

With many megaprojects planned and trillions of dollars committed, Saudi needs a solid, reliable and skilled pipeline of talented professionals to make these plans a reality.

Since the programme’s inception in 2017, Wood’s Saudi office has welcomed 20 new graduates each year. Following a rigorous selection and screening process, graduates complete an immersive two-year development programme, offering an invaluable opportunity to work for a leading consulting and engineering company and learn from the best.

The programme includes hands-on experience, mentoring by industry experts and continuous professional development to ensure the best possible start to a career in engineering and project management.

How is Wood supporting Saudi’s Vision 2030?

Wood is committed to the region’s ambitious Vision 2030 programme across all three key pillars – Vibrant Society, Thriving Economy and Ambitious Nation.

As part of its support of a vibrant society, Wood’s KSA office prides itself on being an employer of choice in the region, presenting a modern, sustainable office working environment.

We place the health, safety and security of our employees as a top priority and celebrate diversity, inclusion and culture.

We also advise on design directly related to environment preservation and clean energy for both brownfield and greenfield facilities and infrastructure. These initiatives and projects will prioritise people and create a sustainable, prosperous society.

By increasing spend with local supply chain, we’re contributing to the Kingdom’s thriving economy. We create jobs for residents, allowing them to carve out meaningful and exciting careers while working on some of the region’s most complex megaprojects.

We provide training opportunities for local talent to meet both the national requirement and our strategic objectives. We assist those who want to carry their skills from oil and gas to newer energies, encouraging a fair transition.

We’ve set up our operations in-region to be aligned with government requirements to ensure effectiveness of government directions and initiatives.

We are fully supporting this ambitious nation and its roadmap to a strong, world-class society.

We too have ambitious targets to double the size of our business by 2026, with a target headcount of around 1,500.

We’ve watched KSA evolve from a leading oil producer and exporter to a forward-thinking, modern and ambitious nation, placing a sustainable future at its core.

We look forward to continued growth across our Middle East business and remain committed to delivering exceptional value for our clients in Saudi and the broader Middle East.