Saudi Arabia, Iraq to Complete Steps for Cooperation in Gas, Renewable Energy

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad meet in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad meet in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Iraq to Complete Steps for Cooperation in Gas, Renewable Energy

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad meet in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad meet in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Iraq have agreed to complete work on a number of important joint projects in the fields of gas, petrochemicals, electricity and renewable energy, and to intensify communication between them to discuss more joint opportunities.  

This came during a meeting on Thursday between Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad.  

The officials pointed to the progress achieved in the joint electrical interconnection project, emphasizing the importance of accelerating the implementation of the plan and increasing the capacity of the linkage to meet the aspirations of their countries.  

A statement said that the officials stressed the need to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of electricity and renewable energy, including operating and maintaining electrical networks and stations, and developing renewable energy plant projects.  

They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the area of clean technologies to reduce carbon emissions, within the framework of the Green Middle East initiative, which is based on the carbon circular economy approach and which includes the establishment of a knowledge center and a regional complex for carbon capture, use and storage.  

The meeting touched on the importance of exchanging experiences in the field of reducing greenhouse gas and methane emissions, and benefiting from the Kingdom’s experience in the liquid fuel displacement program.   

The two sides reviewed the developments in the global oil markets, stressing the importance of working collectively within the framework of the OPEC+ agreement, and underlined their countries’ commitment to the organization’s decision, which extends to the end of 2023. 



Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
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Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil prices were up slightly on Friday on stronger-than-expected US economic data that raised investor expectations for increasing crude oil demand from the world's largest energy consumer.

But concerns about soft economic conditions in Asia's biggest economies, China and Japan, capped gains.

Brent crude futures for September rose 7 cents to $82.44 a barrel by 0014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude for September increased 4 cents to $78.32 per barrel, Reuters reported.

In the second quarter, the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annualised rate of 2.8% as consumers spent more and businesses increased investments, Commerce Department data showed. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted US gross domestic product would grow by 2.0% over the period.

At the same time, inflation pressures eased, which kept intact expectations that the Federal Reserve would move forward with a September interest rate cut. Lower interest rates tend to boost economic activity, which can spur oil demand.

Still, continued signs of trouble in parts of Asia limited oil price gains.

Core consumer prices in Japan's capital were up 2.2% in July from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, raising market expectations of an interest rate hike in the near term.

But an index that strips away energy costs, seen as a better gauge of underlying price trends, rose at the slowest annual pace in nearly two years, suggesting that price hikes are moderating due to soft consumption.

China, the world's biggest crude importer, surprised markets for a second time this week by conducting an unscheduled lending operation on Thursday at steeply lower rates, suggesting authorities are trying to provide heavier monetary stimulus to prop up the economy.