Saudi Arabia yesterday named the eight oil groups that will carry out natural gas projects worth up to $40 bn as western companies prepare to return to the kingdom for the first time since the industry was nationalised in 1975. The big winners were Exxon-Mobil, which will lead one consortium project on the Red Sea Coast and participate in another at South Ghawar, and Royal Dutch/Shell, which will take part in two of the three core sprojects. Saudi Arabia has yet to name leaders of two of the three consortia.