Waste Management and Cement Industry in Arab Countries

Chance for Sustainable Development – Drilling Waste from the Oil Industry
The Arab energy sector has played and will continue to play an important role in the region’s and the global economy as well. In addition to satisfying energy needs for economic and social development, it is the source of oil and gas export revenues contributing to economic development as well.

The Arab oil and gas sector represents the largest economic sector in the region. The proven reserves of crude oil in the Arab countries account for nearly 58 % of the world’s total, while those of natural gas were estimated at about 30% of the world proven reserves. By the end of 2006, the Arab oil exporting countries produced nearly 23 million barrels a day (mbd) of oil and 355 billion cubic meters of gas (bcm), thereby accounting for about 31.7% and 12.5 % of the total global oil and gas production, respectively. With oil exports of 20.5 mbd and annual gas exports of 100 bcm, the Arab countries were responsible for 43% and 15% of total oil and gas exports, respectively.

In 2006, the oil sector (oil and gas production, processing and refining) contributed 40 % of the total GDP. On the other hand, oil exports reached about 419 billion US$ in current prices of 2006. Increase of oil revenues were the main drivers for economic development in most of the Arab oil producing countries. Due to the remarkable recent increases of the oil prices and the escalated levels of oil production in some Arab countries, the Arab oil revenues have witnessed a parallel unprecedented growth.