Yemen Turns to Gas Resources to Replace Oil

SANAA, 28 March 2005 — Yemen, one of the world’s poorest countries in a constant search for alternative resources to its dwindling oil reserves, is hoping for a brighter future with a $2.5-billion gas project. The dire situation even prompted President Ali Abdallah Saleh himself to admit recently that “our oil reserves are in danger of running out by 2012 and the government should look for alternative resources to oil”. Yemen is seeking to exploit and market its gas reserves, currently estimated at about 10.2 trillion cubic feet — which along with the country’s oil fields are located in the region of Marib, east of Sanaa. But Yemen’s total gas reserves remain minute when compared to Gulf neighbor Qatar which has 900 trillion cubic feet.