Saudi Jafurah Field Discovery Boosts Kingdom’s Gas Production Status

The resources at Jafurah are now estimated at 229 trillion standard cu ft of gas and 75 billion barrels of condensates. (Saudi Aramco)
The resources at Jafurah are now estimated at 229 trillion standard cu ft of gas and 75 billion barrels of condensates. (Saudi Aramco)
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Saudi Jafurah Field Discovery Boosts Kingdom’s Gas Production Status

The resources at Jafurah are now estimated at 229 trillion standard cu ft of gas and 75 billion barrels of condensates. (Saudi Aramco)
The resources at Jafurah are now estimated at 229 trillion standard cu ft of gas and 75 billion barrels of condensates. (Saudi Aramco)

Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian oil giant, has made a groundbreaking discovery in its unconventional Jafurah Field, adding 15 trillion standard cubic feet of gas and 2 billion barrels of condensate to its reserves.

With this find, the resources at Jafurah are now estimated at 229 trillion standard cu ft of gas and 75 billion barrels of condensates.

This strategic discovery not only increases the total reserves in Jafurah but also underscores Saudi Arabia’s positioning in the natural gas sector amid its ongoing energy transition efforts.

The Ministry of Energy confirmed the find in a press statement, quoting Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

The ministry emphasized that Aramco’s adherence to the highest international standards in estimating and developing hydrocarbon resources has ensured the proper exploitation of these resources.

Jafurah is considered the biggest shale gas reserve in the Middle East. It holds around 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas underground, which could help cut emissions and serve as a source for cleaner fuels in the future.

Experts predict that this increase will make Saudi Arabia a major global gas producer, diversifying its energy mix and allowing it to stockpile substantial gas reserves for export.

This shift reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to be recognized as an all-encompassing energy producer, not just reliant on oil.

Dr. Mohammed Suroor Al-Sabban, a former senior advisor at the Saudi Ministry of Energy, emphasized the importance of this increase, noting it aligns with the Kingdom’s goals of energy diversification.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he highlighted that it solidifies Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading energy producer and enhances global interest in its energy sector.

Al-Sabban also highlighted the increasing global interest in gas and its role in electricity generation and water desalination.

He stressed that Saudi Arabia’s large gas reserve will make it a significant player in the global market, especially with advancements in shale oil and gas technologies reducing production costs.

Last August, the China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., also known as Sinopec, expressed interest in Saudi Arabia’s shale gas development project at Jafurah.

In October, South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Hyundai Engineering also signed a $2.4bn contract with oil giant Saudi Aramco to build a gas processing plant at Jafurah.

Economic expert Tareq Al-Ateeq sees the big increase in gas and condensate reserves in the Jafurah field as a boost for Saudi Arabia’s economy.

He predicted that once the field is up and running, Saudi Arabia will be the world’s third-largest gas producer. This will help diversify the Kingdom’s energy and support Aramco in becoming the world’s largest energy company.

Al-Ateeq believes this will bring in more money for Saudi Arabia and fund big projects, supporting the Kingdom’s growth plans. It will also meet the needs of different sectors like electricity, water, and mining, helping the economy grow.

He also underscored that exporting gas is becoming more important and expected a big increase in demand for gas by 2040.

Gas is cleaner and cheaper to produce than oil, and it will help create jobs and boost the Kingdom’s economy, stressed Al-Ateeq, adding that the financial benefits of these changes will show over time as production increases.



Mali Gold Production Plunges 23% in 2024

Amadou Dabo displays roughly seven grams of gold he bought from small-scale miners for about $30 in Kalana, August 25, 2012. (Reuters)
Amadou Dabo displays roughly seven grams of gold he bought from small-scale miners for about $30 in Kalana, August 25, 2012. (Reuters)
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Mali Gold Production Plunges 23% in 2024

Amadou Dabo displays roughly seven grams of gold he bought from small-scale miners for about $30 in Kalana, August 25, 2012. (Reuters)
Amadou Dabo displays roughly seven grams of gold he bought from small-scale miners for about $30 in Kalana, August 25, 2012. (Reuters)

Mali's industrial gold production plunged 23% to 51 metric tons last year from 66.5 tons in 2023, the West African country's mines ministry said.

Mali is one of Africa's top gold producers and home to industrial mines operated by international companies including Barrick Gold, B2Gold Corp, Resolute Mining and Hummingbird Resources.

A ministry document showed on Friday that the output number excludes Barrick Gold's December production following the company's dispute with Mali's military-led government related to a mining law introduced in 2023.

Barrick suspended operations at its Loulo-Gounkoto operation last month after authorities seized its gold reserves by helicopter. Four of its employees have been detained since November on charges including money laundering and financing of terrorism, which the company denies.

Mali's new mining code, which raises taxes and seeks to hand over big stakes in assets to the state, makes it uneconomic to invest in new mines or buy operations in the country, several mining chief executives told Reuters this week.

Mali's government says mining companies including Barrick have not been paying their fair share of taxes.

According to the ministry document, Mali's gold production fell below 60 tons for the first time in over three years.

It would stand at 52.7 tons if Barrick met its December forecast of 1.7 tons, the ministry's monthly estimates showed.

The ministry did not provide an explanation for the drop in production.

An official from the mines ministry told Reuters the government's conflict with mining companies could be the reason for the lower output. The sector faces a crisis of confidence after authorities demanded foreign companies migrate to the new mining code and arrested employees and executives, the official added.

According to the ministry's data, Barrick Gold remains the country's biggest gold producer, with an output of 19.4 tons in 2024 excluding December production, followed by B2Gold at 13.7 tons and Resolute Mining at 7.2 tons.

With an estimated 6 tons produced in artisanal mines, Mali's total gold production in 2024 is expected to reach 58.7 tons, the mines ministry said.