Letter from the Middle East: Green shoots of recovery
There are many reasons to be cheerful across the Mena oil and gas patch
The hard times of 2020 are behind many oil and gas companies in the Mena region, with exploration increasing and projects stalled by the impact of Covid-19 regaining momentum. In a further sign of recovery, nearly $60bn in upstream opportunities is set to come to market this year. Saudi Arabia has consolidated its position as the world’s largest oil exporter, and the normalisation of ties with Qatar and its Gulf Cooperation Council neighbours has led to further economic growth in the Kingdom. As easing Opec+ cuts take effect, Saudi Aramco looks set to embark on a revamped strategy to increase gas production and commit to further gas-to-power projects in order to free up more oil for export.
Also in this section
7 November 2025
The Russian company’s German assets are under Berlin’s management and are exempt from sanctions, for now, but a permanent solution still needs to be found
6 November 2025
The Russian firm made a significant attempt to expand overseas over the past two decades but is now divesting its global operations
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
5 November 2025
Construction of the pipeline in Afghanistan is making tangible progress, but extending it into Pakistan and India remains unrealistic for political reasons






