Natural Gas in the Arab Gulf States Rising Consumption and Major Future Challenges

Abstract

Lately, the GCC states have increased their share on the world gas market and begun to play a growing role in the consumption and importation of gas. At the same time, as enormous quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are being exported from the region, Naji Abi Aad highlights that several Gulf states are suffering from a growing gas deficit and are importing more gas in liquid form by pipelines from neighboring states and through the international market. In view of this, he discusses the challenges posed by energy self-sufficiency, the building and development of a petrochemical and agrifertilizer industrial base, the emergence of a Gulf market for LNG, the construction of a regional Gulf gas network, and the transformation of a portion of its production into gas for use as fuel and input in major local industries.