Prince Abdel Aziz takes the Saudi energy helm
A new ministerial appointment may indicate growing Saudi impatience with its Opec+ allies
New Saudi energy minister Prince Abdel Aziz bin Salman has long been regarded as a potentially ideal candidate for the post. But the notion was always dismissed on the assumption that the tradition of a commoner technocrat heading the ministry would be maintained. Now this tradition, like others since Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) rose to power under his father's auspices, has been broken. The newly appointed minister, a half-brother of MbS and nearly twice his age, joined what was then the petroleum ministry as an advisor in the late 1980s, rising to take several junior ministerial positions. Prince Abdel Aziz had various areas of responsibility—at one point during Ali Naimi's tenure he co-ordi
Also in this section
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order
28 March 2025
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
28 March 2025
MCEDD 2025 took place in Madrid this week with record attendance and a wide-ranging programme, reflecting the deepwater sector’s renewed momentum, strategic focus and accelerating technological innovation.
