Ras Saffaniyah Airport

The airport was closed primarily due to operational redundancy and consolidation. Its functions were transferred to the larger, more modern, and better-equipped Tanajib Airport (OETN / TJB), located approximately 15 km to the southwest. The older Ras Saffaniyah airstrip was likely deemed obsolete, with a shorter runway and limited facilities, making it inefficient and less safe to maintain compared to the centralized operations at the upgraded Tanajib facility which serves the entire region for Saudi Aramco.

The site is currently abandoned and inactive. High-resolution satellite imagery shows a single, degraded asphalt runway that is unmarked and shows significant signs of weathering and sand encroachment. There are no aircraft, support vehicles, or operational buildings remaining at the immediate site. The land remains undeveloped, with the faint outline of the former airstrip still clearly visible in the desert landscape just west of the main Safaniya residential and industrial complex.

Ras Saffaniyah Airport was a private airstrip built and operated by Saudi Aramco. Its primary historical significance was providing critical logistical support for the Safaniya Oil Field—the world's largest offshore oil field, which began production in 1957. In the mid-20th century, before the development of modern highway networks in the region, the airport was essential for transporting personnel (engineers, geologists, workers), time-sensitive light cargo, and mail to and from the remote coastal facility. It played a vital role in the initial development and sustained operation of this cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's oil production.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Ras Saffaniyah Airport. Given that its closure was a strategic decision to consolidate operations at the superior Tanajib Airport, and its infrastructure is now derelict, it is highly unlikely to be reactivated for aviation purposes. The land may eventually be repurposed for industrial expansion related to the nearby oil facilities, but there is no indication of this happening in the near future.