The Maintenance Mindset Shift for Downstream Success in Saudi Arabia

Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is rapidly accelerating industrialisation and energy infrastructure development, transforming the Kingdom’s sectors. But as gas processing plants, refineries and petrochemical facilities scale up, so too does the pressure on the mission-critical equipment keeping them running. 

When the stakes are this high, the power of maintenance can be transformative. No longer just a cost of doing business, it’s a strategic capability that, if leveraged with a proactive, life-cycle mindset, can give operators a competitive edge. 

In a region defined by ambitious production targets, giga-scale facilities and uncompromising reliability expectations, the shift from reactive maintenance to performance-driven asset integrity will be a defining moment for global energy capitals such as Saudi Arabia.  

Why the Maintenance Mindset is Changing in Saudi Arabia 

Saudi operators face a unique set of pressures that challenge traditional maintenance approaches.  

Its downstream assets sit at the heart of the global energy and industrial supply chain. Unexpected shutdowns or extended turnarounds can trigger ripple effects across markets, and translate to tens of millions of dollars in lost production. This creates intense pressure for zero unplanned downtime. 

As a result, the performance of equipment, such as vessels, columns, drums and heat exchangers is under scrutiny.  

Compounding this, many Saudi assets are ageing, making them significantly more vulnerable to corrosion and cracking – leading causes of equipment failure. With the right maintenance strategy, these risks can be mitigated, meaning maintenance choices can directly determine whether production continues uninterrupted. 

The IGS Advantage 

IGS has a proven track record supporting operators across the Kingdom with asset integrity solutions that unlock operational and financial value in some of the world’s largest downstream facilities. 

Our partnership with a major Saudi energy producer illustrates this shift towards long-term, proactive protection. In 2013, IGS’ High Velocity Thermal Spray (HVTS®) cladding was applied to protect a de-ethanizer column suffering hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) corrosion with more than 700 cracks. This provided a permanent solution, contrasting to organic coatings that regularly need to be stripped and replaced. The cladding was completed within days, avoiding a highly disruptive and costly column replacement that could’ve taken a year.  

A decade later, inspections in 2023 confirmed that after continuous service under aggressive conditions, the HVTS® remained intact and in excellent condition, with no signs of degradation. And today, 60+ HVTS projects have been carried out at the asset owner’s plants, ensuring lasting reliability on an ever-growing scale.

This long-term performance demonstrates how proactive strategies are already redefining expectations. Though, a proactive maintenance approach doesn’t rely on technology alone. It depends on the expertise of the people delivering it.