The 1989 (1409/10 AH) Aramco study put the Kingdom's proven gas reserves at 177.3 trillion cubic feet, an increase of 25% over the last estimate. This figure remained little altered in 1993 (1413/14 AH) when the estimate, now expressed in cubic meters, was 5.2 trillion (approximately 4.2% of world reserves). According to the latest estimates (2001) the Kingdom's gas reserves stand at 219.5 trillion cubic feet (6.22 trillion cubic meters), 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.
