Saudi Arabia aims to develop an integrated gas grid with its neighboring states – excluding Qatar – says energy minister Khalid al-Falih. Ironically, Saudi Arabia has previously been the key impediment to efforts at developing a GCC gas pipeline network. Previous plans entailed Saudi-rival Qatar supplying Kuwait: such plans were stymied by Saudi Arabia refusing to lay a pipeline through its waters (MEES, 27 February 2006).
The only cross-border project to get off the ground was Dolphin Energy (Abu Dhabi state firm Mubadala 51%, Total 24.5%, Occidental 24.5%) which supplies Qatari gas to the UAE and Oman through a 2bn cfd pipeline. Flows have continued despite the onset of the Qatar embargo in June 2017, with Dolphin reporting exports of 2bn cfd in 2017 (MEES, 9 June 2017). Rates have stayed flat in 2018. (CONTINUED - 1308 WORDS)
