Saudi Arabia: the Middle East's first major shale gas producer?
The kingdom is pushing forward with unconventional gas should emerge as the Middle East's first major shale gas producer. But not quickly
Saudi Arabia is seeking to tap a significant unconventional gas potential, estimated by US oilfield services firm Baker Hughes at 645 trillion cubic feet (cf), or more than double its conventional reserves of 284.8 trillion cf. But the kingdom's energy strategists are making slow progress in realising this potential. The big service players have all made a beeline for the kingdom. In 2010, Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes were invited by the Saudis to share their shale gas expertise and all three have subsequently established research centres in the kingdom, attempting to match their technology to the specifics of Saudi geology. State oil company Saudi Aramco worked with Hallib
Also in this section
11 February 2026
Panellists from three LNG buyers at LNG2026 in Doha outlined their evolving procurement strategies as they navigate heightened market volatility
11 February 2026
North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination
11 February 2026
Maritime leaders at LNG2026 warned of the dangers of over-regulation on competitiveness, sustainability and innovation
10 February 2026
The country has opened bidding on 50 blocks in a new licensing round but will face competition for attention and will need to address concerns about security and legislation
