Letter from the Middle East: The counter-cyclical unconventional renaissance

While US shale firms batten down the hatches or seek M&A solutions to their problems, Mid-East Gulf unconventionals are enjoying a revival

The appetite to develop unconventional resources in the Mid-East Gulf remains surprisingly robust, with a quest for gas the main motivator for going after these tricky reservoirs. But, to make these plays work economically, the developers will need to show sophisticated skills and cost control. Kuwait has for some years been developing the deep, tight and sour Jurassic oil and gas in its north. But technical, safety and budgetary challenges have meant progress has been slow. In April 2018, Bahrain said it had found 10-20tn ft³ (280-560bn m³) of gas in the deep pre-Unayzah (Permian) onshore and 80bn bl of shale oil in place in the Khalij Al Bahrain offshore basin. It estimated this could prod