Underground Gas Storage: A Strategic Option for Energy Security

As the global demand for natural gas continues to rise, investing in underground storage has become a crucial aspect of ensuring energy security. According to Jamal Al-Loughani, Secretary General of the Arab Energy Organization (AEO), underground gas storage is a strategic option that offers economic feasibility and positive ecological impact. The process involves injecting natural gas into underground strata such as depleted gas fields, salt caverns, or deepwater reservoirs, serving as a backup for energy transformation and integration of renewable energy resources.

Key Takeaways:

• The total capacity of underground gas storage in the Arab states has increased by 38% between 2000 and 2023, from 11.1 trillion cubic feet to 15.44 trillion cubic feet, as stated by Jamal Al-Loughani.
• The Arab Energy Organization (AEO) considers underground gas storage a strategic necessity for ensuring continuous supplies, coping with energy crises, and backing up energy transformation and integration with hydrogen.
• A number of Arab countries have the potential to invest heavily in underground gas storage due to the existence of depleted gas fields, abundant gas resources, and available infrastructure close to the demand region, according to Al-Loughani.
• The Secretary General proposed studying and developing infrastructure in Arab countries, updating relevant legislations, stimulating investments, trimming funding risks, establishing partnerships with international companies, and swapping know-how at the Arab level.
• The process of underground gas storage can become a backup for energy transformation, integration of renewable energy resources, and a contributor to attaining a sustainable energy system, as stated by Al-Loughani.

Statistics:

• Total capacity of underground gas storage in the Arab states: 15.44 trillion cubic feet (2023)
• Increase in total capacity between 2000 and 2023: 38%
• Initial total capacity in 2000: 11.1 trillion cubic feet
• Current usage of underground gas storage in the Arab states, according to Jamal Al-Loughani: injection of natural gas into underground strata such as depleted gas fields, salt caverns, or deepwater reservoirs.

Sources:

• Kuwait News Agency, August 11, 2025
• Jamal Al-Loughani, Secretary General of the Arab Energy Organization (AEO)