There is a false notion of existing available, abundant, and long lasting fuel energy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries; with continual income return from its exports. This is not true as the sustainability of this income is questionable. Energy problems started to appear, and can be intensified in coming years due to continuous growth of energy demands and consumptions. The demands already consume all produced Natural Gas (NG) in all GCC, except Qatar ; and the NG is the needed fuel for Electric Power (EP) production. These countries have to import NG to run their EP plants. Fuel oil production can be locally consumed within two to three decades if the current rate of consumed energy prevails. The returns from selling the oil and natural gas are the main income to most of the GCC. While NG and oil can be used in EP plants, NG is cheaper, cleaner, and has less negative effects on the environment than fuel oil. Moreover, oil has much better usage than being burned in steam generators of steam power plants or combustion chambers of gas turbines. Introducing renewable energy or nuclear energy may be a necessity for the GCC to keep the flow of their main income from exporting oil. This paper reviews the GCC productions and consumptions of the prime energy (fuel oil and NG) and their role in electric power production. The paper shows that, NG should be the only fossil fuel used to run the power plants in the GCC. It also shows that the all GCC except Qatar , have to import NG. They should diversify the prime energy used in power plants; and consider alternative energy such as nuclear and renewable energy, (solar and wind) energy.
KeywordsGulf Co-Operation Council (GCC)Electric PowerNatural GasCrude OilRenewable EnergyGas Turbine Combined CycleIntegrated Solar Combined CycleOil and Natural Gas Reserves
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), “2010 Annual Statistical Report, in Arabic,” 2010, pp. 10-13.
US Energy Information Administration EIA, Qatar, 2012. http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=QA
“The MENA Region and Global Energy Risk,” MEES Research Special Report, 2010. http://geology.com/oil-and-gas/natural-gas-production-map/Jallah
J. Dargin, “Addressing the UAE Natural Gas Crisis: Strategies for a Rational Energy Policy,” Harvard Belfer Center, Cambridge, 2010.
R. Kombargi, O. Waterlander, G. Sarraf and A. Sastry, “Gas Shortage in the GCC, How to Bridge the Gap,” Booz & Company Analysis, pp. 3-6. http://www.booz.com/media/uploads/Gas_Shortage_in_the_GCC.pdf
N. Williamson and M. M. Garcia, “Gas Shortages in the Middle East: an Unlikely Paradox, Gas Regulation 2011,” Global Legal Group, 2011. http://www.iclg.co.uk/index.php?area=4&show_chapter=4139&ifocus=1&kh_publications_id=175
P. R. Weems and F. Midani, “A Surprising Reality: Middle East Natural Gas Crunch, the International Who’s Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers,” 2012. http://www.kslaw.com/Library/publication/MiddleEastNaturalGasCrunch.pdf
I. J. Bachellerie,” Renewable Energy in the GCC Countries: Resources, Potential, and Prospects,” Gulf Research Center Publications, Dubai, 2012.
Oman, “Study on Renewable Energy Resources,” 2008. http://www.aer-oman.org/pdf/studyreport.pdf
G. Lahn and P. Stevens, “Burning Oil to Keep Cool: The Hidden Energy Crisis in Saudi Arabia,” Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs), London, 2011, pp. 2-3.
BP Energy Outlook 2030, 2011.
Saudi Arabia Energy Efficiency Report, 2012. http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot266.nsf/veritydisplay/7795755e7e232f38c12579e60039434d/$file/saudi%20arabia%20energy%20efficiency%20report.pdf
Economist Intelligent Unit, “The GCC in 2020: Resources for the Future,” 2010.
US Energy Information Administration EIA, “Analysis, Saudi Arabia.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=SA
“Saudi Arabia, Energy Efficiency Report.” http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot316.nsf/veritydisplay/f90e53733342b472c125786400519e97/$file/saudi%20arabia.pdf
Saudi Arabia Oil Consumption, United States Energy Information Administration. http://www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx?country=sa&product=oil&graph=consumption
US Energy Information Administration EIA, “Analysis, United Arab Emirates.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=TC
“US Energy Analysis, Kuwait.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=KU
M. A. Darwish, F. M. Al-Awadhi and A. M. Darwish, “Energy and Water in Kuwait, Part I. A Sustainability View Point,” Desalination, Vol. 225, No. 1-3, 2008, pp. 341-355. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2007.06.018
US Energy Information Administration EIA, “Analysis, Bahrain.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=BA
US Energy Information Administration EIA, “Analysis, Qatar.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=QA
Qatar General Electricity and Water Corp, “(KAHRAMAA) Statistical Yearbooks,” 2010.
S. Hertog and G. Luciani, “Energy and Sustainability Policies in the GCC,” Kuwait Programme on Development, Governance and Globalisation in the Gulf States.
“Carbon Dioxide Emissions [tonnes] per Capita,” 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions_per_capita
Y. Alyousef and P. Stevens, “The Cost of Domestic Energyprices to Saudi Arabia,” Energy Policy, Vol. 39, No. 11, 2011, pp. 6900-6905. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.08.025
“World Energy Insight 2010,” Official Publication of the World Energy Council to Mark the 21st World Energy Congress. http://www.worldenergy.org/documents/wec_combined.pdf
International Energy Outlook, DOE/EIA, 2011.
Emission Estimation Technique Manual for Combustion in Boilers, Version 1.2.
“National Pollutant Inventory.” www.npi.gov.au
Petro Strategies, Inc., “US Natural Gas and Residual Fuel Oil Price Comparison.” http://www.petrostrategies.org/Graphs/gas_and_residual_fuel_comparison.htm
D. Bacher, “How Contributor, Price Comparison of Oil vs. Natural Gas.” http://www.ehow.com/about_6688369_price-oil-vs_-natural-gas.html
“The Economics of Nuclear Power.” http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf02.html
“Saudi Arabia Electricity and Co-Generation Regulatory Authority 2010 Report.” http://www.ecra.gov.sa/
International Energy Statistics, US Energy Administration Information, Natural Gas Consumption. http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=3&pid=26&aid=2&cid=r5,&syid=1992&eyid=2010&unit=BCF
International Energy Statistics, US Energy Administration Information Natural Gas Production. http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=3&pid=26&aid=1&cid=regions&syid=1992&eyid=2010&unit=BCF
US EIA, Qatar, 2012. http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=QA
US Energy Information Administration (EIA), “Countries, Kuwait.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=KU
US EIA, “Saudi Arabia Analysis.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=SA
US Energy Information Administration EIA, “Analysis, Oman.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab2.cfm?fips=MU
G. Luciani, “Nuclear Energy Developments in the Mediterranean and the Gulf,” The International Spectator, Vol. 44, No. 1, 2009, pp. 113-129. doi:10.1080/03932720802692947
H. L. Al Farra and B. Abu-Hijleh, “The Potential Role of Nuclear Energy in Mitigating CO2 Emissions in the United Arab Emirates,” Energy Policy, Vol. 42, No. C, 2011, pp. 272-285.
M. A. Darwish, F. M. Al-Awadhi, A. Akbar and A. Darwish, “Alternative Primary Energy for Power Desalting Plants in Kuwait: The Nuclear Option I,” Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 1, No. 1-3, 2009, p. 25. doi:10.5004/dwt.2009.133
W. E. Alnaser and N. W. Alnaser, “The Status of Renewable Energy in the GCC Countries,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 15, No. 6, 2011, pp. 3074- 3098. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2011.03.021
W. E. Alnaser and N. W. Alnaser, “Solar and Wind Energy Potential in GCC Countries and Some Related Projects,” Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2009, pp. 1-28. doi:10.1063/1.3076058
H. Doukas, K. D. Patlizianas, A. G. Kagiannas and J. Psarras, “Renewable Energy Sources and Rational of the Energy Development in the Countries of GCC: Myth or reality,” Renewable Energy, Vol. 31, No. 6, 2006, pp. 755-770. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2005.05.010
K. D. Patlitzianas, H. Doukas and J. Psarras, “Enhancing Renewable Energy in the Arab States of the Gulf: Constraints & Efforts,” Energy Policy, Vol. 34, No. 18, 2006, pp. 3719-3726. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2005.08.018
H. Doukas, I. Makarouni, C. Karakosta, V. Marinakis and J. Psarras, “EU-GCC Clean Energy Cooperation: From Concept to Action,” In: M. Tortora, Ed., Sustainable Systems and Energy Management at the Regional Level: Comparative Approaches, University of Florence, Kent State University, Florence Program Abroad, 2012, pp. 288-308.
A. Flamos, K. Ergazakis, D. Moissis, H. Doukas and J. Psarras, “The Challenge of a EU-GCC Clean Energy Network,” International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Vol. 33, No. 3-4, 2010, pp. 176-188. doi:10.1504/IJGEI.2010.036955