2022 in review: Saudi-China, Qatar-Germany deals cap Mideast’s energy developments

2022 in review: Saudi-China, Qatar-Germany deals cap Mideast’s energy developments

The year 2022 was significant in its political and economic upheavals for the Middle East's energy sector. Oil and gas continued to play a major role in the region’s economic and political power, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, countries continued moving toward renewable energy –– especially the Gulf states. The Israel-Lebanon gas dispute got resolved, while the one in Iraq between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region is still unsettled. 

The following is a look at some of the major energy deals in the Middle East in 2022.

Israel-Lebanon maritime border 

Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement on their long-disputed maritime border in October. Lebanon has been moving quickly with its gas exploration plans since then. The French energy giant TotalEnergies is leading the process. TotalEnergies and its partner Eni plan to select a rig during the first quarter of 2023 and to finish their environmental impact studies by June. It remains to be seen whether they will actually start drilling next year. 

Saudi-China refinery complex 

In March, the Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco finalized a deal to build a petrochemical complex in northeast China. The facility will refine crude oil and was first proposed back in 2019. Saudi Arabia is