Jordan is placing high hopes on the results of a 3D seismic survey to uncover its wealth of oil, gas, and other natural resources across an area of 4,285 square kilometers in the Eastern Jafr region of Ma'an.
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The survey, conducted in cooperation with the Arabian Geophysical and Surveying Company (ARGAS), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), will span eight months with a total investment of 22 million Jordanian dinars. Results are expected within 24 months, after which the region will be offered as an investment opportunity to specialized oil exploration companies.
This initiative is part of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources’ broader strategy, which aligns with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II. The King has shown ongoing interest in advancing the energy sector, particularly through the implementation of the Economic Modernization Vision.
ARGAS is implementing the project under an agreement signed with the ministry in October. Energy Minister Dr. Saleh Kharabsheh described the deal as the start of broader cooperation and additional future agreements. He emphasized the importance of the project, noting that it is the largest of its kind in Jordan and will provide a critical geophysical database to support well drilling for oil and gas and attract global exploration companies.
Funded by revenues from the Hamza oil field, this project is part of the infrastructure development initiatives in the energy and mining sectors under the Economic Modernization Vision’s executive program (2023–2025).
According to the ministry, the 3D seismic survey aims to identify subsurface geological formations in preparation for exploratory drilling. Minister Kharabsheh noted during a site visit that this marks a key pillar in Jordan’s pursuit of natural resources and is expected to positively impact the national economy.
He added that while similar projects have been launched in the past, this one is distinguished by its use of advanced, high-precision technology that has seen significant developments in recent years. The current phase focuses on data collection, to be followed by detailed analysis. An international company will be appointed to handle data processing.
The project is considered the first phase of broader geophysical surveys across Jordan. Minister Kharabsheh expressed hope for promising results, especially given that less than 5% of the Kingdom’s territory has been covered by such 3D surveys to date.
Director of Petroleum and Oil Shale at the ministry, Bahjat Al-Adwan, noted that the project will create around 400 job opportunities. It also aims to enhance Jordan’s reliance on domestic energy sources and create jobs for local communities, particularly residents of the Jafr region.
Dr. Muath Al-Rawi, CEO of ARGAS, said during the agreement signing in October that the company is one of the world’s most experienced geophysical and geological survey firms, operating in several countries to explore natural resources. He stressed that the Jafr project will follow the highest standards and contribute to developing Jordanian content and reassessing the country’s resource potential.
Hisham Al-Tuwaijri, Deputy CEO of ARGAS, highlighted the company’s extensive experience—over 60 years—in geophysical and geological surveys. He expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Jordan in resource exploration and hopes the results will bring significant economic benefits to the country.
ARGAS, which also has a registered office in Jordan, is part of the Saudi Arabian Energy Services Holding Company (TAQA), owned by the PIF. The company recently won the 3D seismic survey tender valued at 21 million dinars and specializes in geophysical surveys for oil and gas exploration both onshore and offshore, as well as natural resource discovery, data analysis, and imaging services.
Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision outlines active initiatives to boost the mining sector’s developmental role over the next decade. The vision includes 50 initiatives for the energy sector and 18 for mining, emphasizing the need for a national mining strategy, an independent geological survey body, and standardized data sharing.
Currently, the mining sector contributes about 2.2% to Jordan’s GDP—around 700 million dinars. This is projected to rise to 2.1 billion dinars within the next ten years. The sector employs over 9,000 people (0.6% of the national workforce), with expectations of surpassing 27,000. Mining exports, which now total around 1 billion dinars, are expected to grow to 3.4 billion dinars by 2033.
