Flaring of excess gas in drilling for oil is also a byproduct that’s vented into the atmosphere releasing all sorts of volatile organic chemicals, causing air pollution and releasing climate changing methane gas.
Saudi Arabia’s Aramco is eyeing a twofold increase in its natural gas production over the next ten years, and the plan includes the environmentally devastating process of producing oil from shale deposits.
One of the top spots for shale gas drilling is the Jafurah basin, which is similar in size to Texas’ Eagle Ford.
Reacting to Saudi Arabia’s plan to produce unconventional gas by the end of March for local consumption in order to export more oil for a bigger profit, Julien Jreissati Arab World Campaigner at Greenpeace Mediterranean said, “If the kingdom’s intention is to accentuate climate change and its devastating impacts than there is no better way to do so!”
“With this announcement Saudi Arabia demonstrates that it does not take the Paris agreement seriously,” said Jreissati. He continued, “Studies show that more than half of the known fossil fuels reserves, especially shale oil & gas, need to stay in the ground for the world to have a chance to limit the global average temperature increase to 2c let alone 1.5c”.
“The kingdom should rather focus on decarbonising its energy and economy by accelerating its transition to renewable energy considering that Saudi Arabia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change” concluded Jreissati.
