Energy in Saudi Arabia

Development of carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption by source, Saudi Arabia

Energy in Saudi Arabia involves petroleum and natural gas production, consumption, and exports, and electricity production. Saudi Arabia is the world's leading oil producer and exporter. Saudi Arabia's economy is petroleum-based; oil accounts for 90% of the country's exports and nearly 75% of government revenue.[1] The oil industry produces about 45% of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product, against 40% from the private sector.[2] Saudi Arabia has per capita GDP of $20,700.[2] The economy is still very dependent on oil despite diversification, in particular in the petrochemical sector.

For many years the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the world's largest petroleum producer and exporter. In 2011 it pumped about 1.7142 million m3 (10.782 million bbl) per day of petroleum.[1] While most of this is exported, domestic use is rapidly increasing, primarily for electricity production. Saudi Arabia also has the largest, or one of the largest, proven crude oil reserves (i.e. oil that is economically recoverable[3][4]) in the world (18% of global reserves, over 41 billion m3 (260 billion bbl)).

Saudi Arabia, has one of the largest reserves of natural gas in the Persian Gulf. Proven natural gas reserves are over 7 trillion m3 (44 trillion bbl). Global production in 2009 reached 4.6 billion m3 (29 billion bbl) of oil and 3 trillion cubic metres (110 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas.[5] but due to its sizeable domestic gas markets, is "unlikely to become LNG exporters anytime soon". Saudi Arabia is prioritising upstream gas investment, but for use in the domestic power generation market, not for export.[6]

The country has had plans to diversify its energy sources for some time, developing solar[7] and nuclear power.[8]

Energy in Saudi Arabia[9]
Capita Prim. energy Production Export Electricity CO2-emission
Million TWh TWh TWh TWh Mt
2004 24.0 1,633 6,469 4,811 148 324
2007 24.2 1,748 6,412 4,606 175 358
2008 24.7 1,879 6,734 4,796 187 389
2009 25.4 1,836 6,145 4,324 199 410
2010 27.45 1,969 6,258 4,551 219 446
2012 28.08 2,176 6,998 4,700 227 457
2012R 28.29 2,329 7,269 4,949 248 459
2013 28.83 2,235 7,146 4,882 264 472
Change 2004–2010 15% 21% -3% -5% 48% 37%
Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) = 11.63 TWh (terawatt-hours).
Primary energy includes energy losses.
2012R: CO2 calculation criteria changed; numbers updated.
  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Factbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EIA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Atzori, Daniel. "Is Saudi Arabia really running out of oil?". September 30, 2012. About Oil. Retrieved 23 April 2014. Saudi Arabia's proved oil reserves amounted, at the end of 2011, to 265,4 thousand million barrels. Despite the fact that Venezuela, with proved oil reserves of 296,5 thousand million barrels, recently surpassed Riyadh,
  4. ^ Venezuela has more oil in the form of tar sands, heavy bitumen which is not currently economically competitive.
  5. ^ 2011 report on oil and gas companies, Promoting revenue Transparency Archived 2 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Transparency International 2011 page reserves 114–115
  6. ^ "The Middle East LNG story". 01/10/2013. Energy Global. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  7. ^ Peixe, Joao (15 June 2013). "Solar power shines in oil-rich Saudi Arabia". CS Monitor. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Saudi officials have talked about solar power for years, and even made plans to install 41,000MW over the next 20 years, but whilst China installed 5,000MW in 2012 alone, Saudi Arabia still has virtually no solar generation capacity.
  8. ^ "Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia". Updated December 2013. Nuclear Power Association. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Saudi Arabia plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years at a cost of more than $80 billion, with the first reactor on line in 2022.
    It projects 17 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2032 to provide 15% of the power then, along with over 40 GWe of solar capacity.
  9. ^ IEA Key World Energy Statistics Statistics 2015 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 2014 (2012R as in November 2015 Archived 5 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine + 2012 as in March 2014 is comparable to previous years statistical calculation criteria, 2013 Archived 2 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 2012 Archived 9 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 2011 Archived 27 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 2010 Archived 11 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, 2009 Archived 7 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 2006 Archived 12 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine IEA October, crude oil p.11, coal p. 13 gas p. 15

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