Simply put, the Middle East’s vast gas reserves are more than just energy—they’re economic engines. When strategically deployed, they fuel industries, create jobs and underpin regional stability. As the world races toward cleaner energy, the region's ability to evolve its gas narrative—from export commodity to a platform for innovation and sustainable development—will define its role on the global stage.
The Middle East sits atop about 40% of the world’s proven natural gas reserves. Qatar may be a powerhouse in LNG exports, leveraging its North Field to shape energy markets far beyond its borders, but traditional oil producers like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE and its neighbours are homing in on ways to maximise their vast assets, with gas development crucial for domestic transformation.
- Diversification through industrialisation: Using domestic gas to power industrial zones, stimulate manufacturing, and grow petrochemical sectors—driving non-oil GDP.
- Energy access and job creation: Gas-fired power plants improve energy reliability, enabling the growth of small businesses and tech hubs. This cascade fuels employment and is a catalyst for economic growth.
- Regional collaboration: Cross-border pipelines like the Arab Gas Pipeline and shared infrastructure projects foster regional integration, enhancing resilience and cooperation.
Natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel. Middle East nations are integrating it into ambitious climate strategies:
- Carbon capture investments: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are embedding gas development with CCUS technologies to reduce emissions.
- Hydrogen horizons: Leveraging gas to produce blue hydrogen is becoming a strategic priority, with a vision to become global exporters of decarbonised fuels.
To unlock the full potential of gas, Middle East countries have much more work to do, including improving regulatory environments to attract private investment and build out infrastructure, enhance innovation and digitisation to harness the gas more efficiently and foster better partnerships and collaboration to fully develop the energy and economic ecosystems.
This unique Middle East Gas Conference hosted by Crescent Petroleum and Petroleum Economist in Dubai on 10 December 2025 offers top level decision makers the insight to turn natural gas visions into economic reality.
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