The United States is set to sign a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that could eventually allow uranium enrichment on Saudi soil, in a 30-year pact designed to give US companies a central role in building the kingdom's nuclear industry, the Wall Street Journal reported on July 22.

The deal, worth tens of billions of dollars, would shut out competitors such as Russia and China, but it omits the so-called gold standard that bars enrichment and reprocessing, drawing opposition from lawmakers in both US parties and from Israeli officials who fear it could open a path to nuclear weapons.

US President Donald Trump has approved the agreement, which two people familiar with the matter said could be announced publicly as early as July 22.

A key provision would allow American firms to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia if a joint US-Saudi study determines the step is warranted. Enrichment and the reprocessing of spent fuel are both potential routes to weapons-grade material.

The pact is a so-called 123 Agreement, named after the section of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 that permits US firms to share nuclear technology with foreign partners. It is expected to be signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and submitted to Congress within days.

Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to proceed with civil nuclear cooperation during the prince's White House visit in November, when the two sides also signed a joint declaration on nuclear energy and an F-35 defence sale package.

Mohammed bin Salman has previously said the kingdom would seek nuclear weapons capability if Iran acquired it.