Middle East boosts its unconventional gas resources

Saudi Aramco is focusing its unconventional gas activity in three areas: the North Arabia development in the northwest (near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders), south of Ghawar and the Jafurah Basin. The Jafurah Basin is a large play, located east of Ghawar in Saudi Arabia's eastern province, 300 kilometres south of Dammam. The play is over 170 kilometres in length by 100 kilometres wide. The Jafurah basin Jurassic carbonate play is a source rock for some of Saudi Aramco's largest ...

Global upstream M&A activity seemed to have the bit between its teeth in late 2021. We expected that market buoyancy would continue in 2022. But geopolitics and macroeconomics conspired to deliver uncertainty, volatility and a slow down in deal activity. Nonetheless, there's still plenty to discuss among the 215 deals, worth US$88 billion, which were agreed. Oil was still a focal point globally, despite US shale gas' continued renaissance. The Permian remained the premier tight oil play, though spend in the Bakken doubled. Europe held its position as the busiest area outside North America, but Africa was the only region which saw deal activity increase.