uae T he Middle East, renowned for its extensive oil developments, has shown clear signs of pivoting investments towards gas. Countries in the region are targeting gas self-sufficiency and unlocking or expanding their gas export potential. As a result, Rystad Energy estimates that between 2020 and 2025, regional gas production will grow by about 100 billion cubic meters (Bcm) to reach 700 Bcm by 2025. Prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, the region’s gas production was on a growth trajectory despite geopolitical turbulence, regional conflicts, sanctions, and plummeting liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices. After the pandemic, a focused gas agenda has set the region on a path to becoming the second- largest gas-producing region globally after North America, surpassing both Russia and Asia by 2025. Natural gas is widely considered a transitional fuel and plays a vital role in the net-zero emissions target of UAE state giant ADNOC. As a result, the country has been increasingly investing to develop its gas resources. This resulted in two mega projects being sanctioned recently: the Image Credit: Rystad Energy Towards a low-carbon future 13 ISSUE 7 2024 | oilreviewmiddleeast.com The UAE is adopting a multifaceted approach for its future energy needs, says Aditya Saraswat, SVP and head of MENA research, and Harshita Dhyani, upstream analyst at Rystad Energy.