Saudis see ‘huge’ fracking potential – World Tribune: Window on the Real World

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ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia said it would drill seven shale energy
wells in 2013.

An official of the Saudi oil company Aramco watches progress at a rig at the al-Howta oil field near Howta, Saudi Arabia. /AP file photo/John Moore — An official of the Saudi oil company Aramco watches progress at a rig at the al-Howta oil field. /AP file photo/John Moore

The Saudi Oil Ministry intends to drill seven wells for the production
of shale natural gas.

The ministry has determined that shale as well as other unconventional gas reserves could amount to double that of conventional gas reserves, reported at 286 trillion cubic feet.

“We know where the [shale] areas are,” Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al Nueimi
said. “We have rough estimates of 600 trillion cubic feet of unconventional shale gas. The potential is very huge and we plan to exploit it.”

In an address to a conference in Hong Kong on March 18, Al Nueimi did
not offer a timetable for shale exploration.

Officials said a key challenge was the supply of water to extract crude oil and gas from shale in a kingdom with few water reserves.

Ali Al Nueimi, Saudis sees ‘huge’ fracking potential, shale gas

Saudis see ‘huge’ fracking potential added by World Tribune on March 20, 2013
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