NEOM: The Future of Saudi Arabia’s Mega Infrastructure & Telecom Development
Introduction
NEOM is much more than an urban development — it will play an integral role in fulfilling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy and dramatically change the country’s economy by building advanced infrastructure, creating technology hubs, and providing a world-class quality of life. NEOM is an ultra-modern city that will be built on 10,000 square miles along the Red Sea and will utilize smart city design, renewable energy solutions, advanced transportation, AI-powered services, and strong power and telecommunications networks to attract global talent and investment as well as foster innovation.
Central to the NEOM project’s success are the key utilities, civil works and telecommunications infrastructures that connect people (residential uses), machines (industry) and essential services (transportation, communications) across the City — from residential neighbourhoods and industrial areas to smart transportation routes and a digital backbone. Infrastructure can only be provided through reliable underground pipeline and duct systems (such as HDPE, PVC and CORRUGATED conduits) to protect fibre optic, electrical, water and utility cables to ensure they function appropriately for the long-term and remain in compliance with applicable regulations and codes.
1. Why Ducts & Pipes Are Critical to NEOM’s Infrastructure
In order for NEOM to have proper infrastructure, there needs to be a support system built on smart and durable conduit systems to achieve that:
1.1 Telecommunications Network
In order to have a digital backbone, NEOM will have large-scale infrastructure of fibre-optic cables and telecom infrastructure to allow for 5G connectivity, IoT ecosystems, high speed data transfers, and to support various smart city services. The conduits that support this application will provide mechanical damage protection, moisture protection, and environmental stress protection to fibre optic cables and also allow for future cabling upgrades with minimum excavation.
The following are key roles of the telecom duct system.
- Fibres and copper cables are protected in underground routes.
- Air blown fibre installation paths will be provided.
- Mobile networking, data centre, and smart city architectures will be supported.
Modern telecom duct systems (i.e. HDPE microducts, mini ducts, multi duct bundles) are designed to provide high density fibre installations and scalability.
1.2 Electrical Networks & Utility Conduits
Electrical cabling, including the distribution of power to residential clusters, industrial areas, renewable energy sources and transportation, requires strong PVC and HDPE tubing to withstand the various loads and soil conditions as well as the environmental stresses placed on them while maintaining the continuous flow of electricity.
The purposes of utility conduit include:
– To separate the electrical circuits from piping used for carrying water/utilities.
– To provide a barrier to corrosion and mechanical stress.
– To give an unobstructed route for future upgrades without disruptive construction.
Both PVC and HDPE products are used extensively because they last a long time and require little maintenance.
1.3 Water Distribution, Sewage & Stormwater Management
The rapid expansion of NEOM requires a significant infrastructure of water and wastewater pipelines. In NEOM, potable water distribution, wastewater sewer networks, storm drainage, and irrigation systems use PVC, HDPE, and other specialty piping.
Benefits of the materials listed above include:
– Resistance to corrosion.
– Welded joints — leak-free connections.
– Resistance to stress (thermal, soil).
Using materials with these properties will result in reliable operations with long asset life and low-maintenance needs.
2: Pipe & Duct Materials — What’s Used in NEOM
For a megaproject like NEOM, material choice is based on performance, compliance, lifecycle cost, and future scalability. Below we outline the common material classes used in major infrastructure builds.
2.1 HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
Telecommunication systems in Saudi Arabia utilize HDPE as the most suitable material for telephone system installation (telecommunications systems). HDPE has a superior resistance to UV light, soil pressure and corrosion, making it an ideal choice for buried telecommunications cables and high-load zones. In addition to being easily installed using trenchless methods (horizontal directional drill; HDD), HDPE is also offered in a variety of sizes to accommodate various telecommunications installations.
Saudi Ducts provides a comprehensive list of HDPE products that are specifically designed to meet the requirements of such installations:
• HDPE Main Ducts (110mm-310mm) make up the backbone for both heavy duty and standard telecommunications routes.
• HDPE Corrugated Ducts (Ribbed) offer both flexibility and strength which allows for new installation as well as for future growth/expansion.
• HDPE Microducts and Mini-Ducts contain low-friction surfaces designed specifically for placement of fibre-to-the-x networks and for low-density fibre installations.
In addition to offering exceptional performance characteristics such as corrosion resistance, the use of HDPE in Saudi Arabia’s Telecommunications Infrastructure provides stability and structural integrity through extreme climatic conditions (i.e., severe temperatures, thermal cycling and abrasion). Therefore, the continued use of HDPE for telecommunications infrastructure should provide additional long term value through a decrease in infrastructure replacement costs.
2.2 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
PVC pipes and conduits are the preferred choice for numerous civil and utility projects due to their:
– Light weight and ease of installation.
– Non-reactive chemical properties and resistance to corrosion.
– Cost-effectiveness when used as materials for water, sewage, electrical pathways and smaller telecom sleeves.
Saudi Ducts manufactures high quality PVC piping systems, conduit ranges and fittings, targeted at providing infrastructure megaprojects across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.
In infrastructure systems such as NEOM, where “future-proofing” is critical, PVC conduit will play an important role in routing support and service facilities in the built environment and will provide a support structure for non-load bearing conduit.
2.3 Corrugated & Composite Pipe Systems
Designed from high-density polyethylene, most often with corrugations in their walls for greater mechanical strength; these ducts have been used in road crossings, rail corridors and outside plant (OSP) fibre networks to give resiliency to the mechanical forces exerted on them due to heavy loads. The flexibility of these ducts allows for bending and shifting of the soil without causing breakage or deformation.
Multiple single-duct units combined into a configuration of duct systems (i.e.: 2-way, 4-way, 7-way) reduce the amount of civil work needed as they can be used for installing and deploying fibre and utility services throughout a densely populated urban area using modular deployment strategies.
3: Standards & Specifications in NEOM Construction
For NEOM (and similar Saudi/GCC megaprojects), piping and ducting systems must adhere to strict standards to assure safety, performance, and longevity:
3.1 Telecom Duct Standards
Telecommunications conduit standards are enforced by the main operators and projects:
- HDPE plain and corrugated duct materials are subject to the Operator’s STC VD-101 & VD-102 Standards. These standards govern the specific outside and inside diameters as well as other pertinent information regarding PN/SDR, colour coding and performance tests.
- The specifications contained within the current standard conform to the existing compatibility of high-speed fibre installations and future requirement expansions.
Performance requirements include:
• Virgin PE100 Materials with UV Stabilisation
• Traceability through QR Codes & MIC Marking
• Compliance with International Tensile & Environmental Testing Requirements
3.2 Civil & Utility Standards
Projects like NEOM also comply with Saudi Aramco engineering standards (SAMSS) for HDPE pipes and PVC systems:
SAMSS-051 for HDPE pipe resin, hydrostatic performance, fusion jointing and testing.
SAES-S-070 for non-metallic piping systems including PVC conduits.
SAES-T-007 telecommunication guidelines covering duct diameters, burial depth, and mandrel testing.
Adhering to these standards ensures long-term reliability, regulatory approval and minimized field rework.
4: EPC Contractors & Construction Companies in NEOM
NEOM’s large size has become a key draw for local and international developers and contractors who will design, build and manage the civil works, telecommunications backbone, utilities, and components of smart cities. Although the detailed list of contractors has changed throughout time and will probably continue to do so, frequently reported contractors include:
• Local EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contractors that specialize in constructing civil works and utility facilities
• International partners that specialize in building systems for transportation, tunneling and large-scale communications networks
• Telecommunications infrastructure companies that provide fibre optic networks and electronic systems
All the participants from the various industries rely on ducting systems that meet project specifications and can easily be extended in the future. This includes a range of different ducting (e.g., backbone HDPE mains, microducts used for fibre optic drops).
Whether a contract is for a single source of ducting or consists of multiple products and suppliers, there are various materials for ducting that can be used as a blended solution such as:
• HDPE systems for backbone construction
• PVC conduits in building electrical/utility corridors
• Corrugated solutions for heavy loading zones, and/or HDD crossings.
5: How Saudi Ducts Helps Deliver NEOM Project Milestones
Saudi Ducts (saudiducts.com) is a B2B technical and supplier-discovery platform designed to help major infrastructure stakeholders — EPC contractors, telecom operators, utilities and developers — by:
5.1 Curating Certified & Compliant Suppliers
Saudi Ducts provides product listings that consist of items from eligible manufacturers and certified distributors that meet the required standards of local and international compliance with respect to Saudi Arabia as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The following will then provide evidence that those materials are:
1.Adequately supported by the project specifications.
2.Adequately supported by Quality Documents.
3.Adequately documented for traceability and approved for the Project Inspection Regime.
5.2 Providing Product Knowledge & Guidance
Saudi Ducts provide detailed categories for purchases, including:
– HDPE Micro-Ducts, Mini-Ducts and Main Duct Solutions for Telecom Infrastructure
– Corrugated HDPE Ducts for Heavy Duty Flexible Applications
– PVC Pipes and Fittings for Utilities/Conduits
It helps buyers to compare the materials, understand the specifications and match the solution to their project.
5.3 Supporting Accurate Technical Decisions
Saudi Ducts provides guidance regarding how to choose the appropriate material for ducting and when installing ductwork while considering the performance characteristics of each material. This includes assessing the compatibility of the selected materials with air blowing applications, evaluating UV resistance and thermal stress, and selecting materials based on the required qualifications. This way buyers can choose the right solution for their application, whether that be telecom, utilities or civil use cases.
5.4 Streamlining Procurement & Vendor Connections
Through direct to factory sources, our ducting suppliers now connect project teams with:
– Direct from manufacturer
– Certified suppliers
– Complete product offerings including accessories (couplers, end caps, spacer, warning tape, etc.)
– All commercial activities (pricing, logistics and contracts) are handled directly between the buyer and the supplier, providing flexibility to compete in the purchase of ducts.
6: Conclusion — Building Tomorrow with Smart Infrastructure
NEOM signifies the future of infrastructure for Saudi Arabia by blending innovation, sustainability and world-class engineering into one global development; the foundation of this transition exists beneath our feet through the extensive systex of ducts and pipelines supplying electrical power, telecommunications and utility services to an enormous geographical area.
To build such a complex infrastructure requires right material selection, meeting project specifications and utilizing training technical suppliers. As NEOM has developed into one of the largest megaprojects in the world; it will also utilize the largest ducting solutions that include; HDPE to PVC, as well as deep supplier partnerships that address the unique specifications of all ’Saudi’ and ’GCC’ MEGA Projects, because they have the technical expertise and experience to know what works in the marketplace.
Utilizing the Saudi Ducts catalogue will allow project planners to build effectively for ’now’, ’tomorrow’ & beyond.