Saudi Energy Minister: We Aim to Boost Oil, Gas Production, Plan to Export Hydrogen

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaks at Monday's event. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaks at Monday's event. (SPA)
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Saudi Energy Minister: We Aim to Boost Oil, Gas Production, Plan to Export Hydrogen

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaks at Monday's event. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaks at Monday's event. (SPA)

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced the Kingdom’s strategic plans to increase its production of oil, gas and clean energy.

“We in the Kingdom aim to increase oil and gas production, and we plan to export hydrogen,” said Prince Abdulaziz on the sidelines of the 7th edition of the activities of Iktva 2023 forum in Dhahran.

He revealed that Saudi Arabia is working to increase the gas production by 60%. Work is under way to add 4,000 kilometers to gas lines.

Prince Abdulaziz indicated that the energy laboratory that was launched has an investment value of about $1 billion.

He emphasized that promoting localization strengthens energy supplies, enhances flexibility of supply chains, and reduces risks resulting from economic shocks.

According to Prince Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry represents a catalyst and engine for the localization program in partnership with various governmental and private entities.

Energy localization programs in the Kingdom have enabled many international partners to cooperate in launching more than 200 manufacturing facilities, he stressed.

Many projects are currently under development and on their way to becoming fully operational, added Prince Abdulaziz.

He highlighted the acceleration of the work of liquids-to-chemicals conversion facilities to increase the raw materials for petrochemicals.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia will invest SAR 1 trillion ($266 billion) to generate “cleaner energy” and add transport lines and distribution networks.

Prince Abdulaziz added that the eventual goal is to export energy to the world and produce clean hydrogen.

In other news, Saudi Aramco signed over 100 deals and MoUs valued at around $7.2 billion at the Iktva forum.

The company also launched Aramco Digital Co. to accelerate its digital transformation efforts.

The Iktva program achieved 63 % local content in 2022, up from 35 % in 2015 when it was initially launched.



Al-Abdulqader to Asharq Al-Awsat: COP16 to Advocate for Strategies Against Desertification

A green space in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A green space in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Al-Abdulqader to Asharq Al-Awsat: COP16 to Advocate for Strategies Against Desertification

A green space in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A green space in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Dr. Khalid Al-Abdulqader, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, stated that the upcoming 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), set to kick off in Riyadh on Monday, represents a significant opportunity to strengthen international collaboration.

He added that the event will serve as a platform to showcase Saudi Arabia’s achievements in combating desertification, highlight successful initiatives such as tree-planting and sustainable projects, and encourage other nations to adopt similar strategies.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Abdulqader revealed that the conference would present numerous investment opportunities for local and international private sectors in nature-based solutions to combat desertification. These include plans for 10 investment projects in wild plant nurseries, proposals to involve private companies in the afforestation and management of selected national parks, and the development of 30 eco-tourism sites within vegetated areas. These initiatives aim to expand green spaces and mitigate desertification across the Kingdom.

Additionally, he pointed to the establishment of a dedicated unit to support and guide investors by fostering innovative ideas and providing necessary assistance in accordance with national regulations.

Green Belts and Desertification Control Efforts

Saudi Arabia prioritizes combating desertification and protecting vegetation, particularly given its challenging climatic conditions. The government is actively working to expand forests, rehabilitate degraded lands, develop national parks, conduct ecological research, and protect native plant species through initiatives like green belts.

Al-Abdulqader emphasized the importance of global cooperation in addressing desertification. COP16, he said, would strengthen international efforts to combat drought, land degradation, and their adverse effects, adding that hosting the conference underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing role in global environmental advocacy.

He also said that the Kingdom has launched significant initiatives, including the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 400 million trees by 2030 and a total of 10 billion trees by 2100, restoring approximately 40 million hectares of degraded land.

Additionally, the Saudi official revealed that the National Center for Vegetation Cover is preparing to launch the 2024 National Afforestation Season under the slogan “We Plant for Our Future”. Sponsored by the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, this campaign seeks to involve government agencies, local communities, and individuals in afforestation efforts to expand green cover, rehabilitate degraded lands, raise awareness, reduce harmful practices, and improve overall quality of life, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Al-Abdulqader stressed that Saudi Arabia’s environmental efforts reflect its commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030, which prioritizes sustainability and environmental protection.

He highlighted the center’s vital role in fulfilling the vision’s environmental objectives by managing natural resources, supporting afforestation projects, rehabilitating damaged areas, and raising awareness of the importance of vegetation cover through public campaigns.

Al-Abdulqader further noted that the center contributes to international initiatives, including Saudi Arabia’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Global and Regional Cooperation

The center also supports the goals of the Middle East Green Initiative and the Saudi Green Initiative. To date, more than 95 million trees have been planted in collaboration with public, private, and nonprofit sector partners, increasing green spaces and restoring degraded lands, the official underlined.

He pointed to several international partnerships through memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with countries such as Pakistan and organizations including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and ELAWCAT for sustainable land management.

Al-Abdulqader revealed that future agreements are in progress with China, the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), and Morocco for vegetation development and desertification control, adding that Saudi Arabia is also collaborating with Egypt on stabilizing sand dunes and engaging in partnerships with Somalia, Albania, Costa Rica, Burkina Faso, and Tajikistan on environmental protection and sustainability.