At the end of 2007, the Kingdom's proven gas reserves stood at at 253 trillion cubic feet, an increase of 22% over the estimate for 1997. This figure represents approximately 4% of world reserves.
In the early years of oil exploitation, natural gas from the oil fields was burnt off in gas flares. Conscious of the need to conserve its energy reserves, the Kingdom now gathers the natural gas (methane and ethane) emanating from the oil fields in the Eastern region in order to supply the vast industrial complexes at Jubail in the Eastern region and Yanbu on the western side of the Kingdom.
Today, almost all the natural gas at the Kingdom's disposal is effectively utilized.
