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
Also in this section
21 February 2025
While large-scale planned LNG schemes in sub-Saharan Africa have faced fresh problems, FLNG projects are stepping into that space
20 February 2025
Greater social mobility means increased global demand for refined fuels and petrochemical products, with Asia leading the way in the expansion of refining capacity
19 February 2025
The EU would do well to ease its gas storage requirements to avoid heavy purchase costs this summer, with the targets having created market distortion while giving sellers a significant advantage over buyers
18 February 2025
Deliveries to China decline by around 1m b/d from move to curb crude exports to Shandong port, putting Iran under further economic pressure
