Aramco CEO Amin Nasser at the World Economic Forum in January
Letter from the Middle East: Aramco provides big global gas reveal
The Saudi energy leader’s announcement of first production at Jafurah and the launch of operations at the Tanajib Gas Plant marks a turning point not just for the company, but for the world’s energy landscape
After playing the sidekick to oil for decades, gas is finally a main character in the global energy story. Just ask Saudi Aramco. The Saudi giant’s name has been synonymous with reliable, abundant and low-cost oil, but now gas is not just part of its strategy, it is one imposing face of a multi-faceted identity. Aramco’s evolution reflects a broader truth about the energy system: the world is not moving away from hydrocarbons, but it is moving towards different hydrocarbons. Gas—lower‑carbon, flexible, and industrially indispensable—is the fuel that will undoubtedly endure policy U-turns, sustainability drives and cost challenges. Aramco has read the global energy room: gas is central to the
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6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
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After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
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Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
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The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
