Saudi to boost crude burn for power generation in 2011  

Arabian Business News has a report on the spiralling consumption of oil in Saudi Arabia for power generation - Saudi to boost crude burn for power generation in 2011 .

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, will step up its use of crude for power generation in 2011, Saleh Alawaji, the country's junior electricity minister, said on Thursday, as the nation balances use of a new oilfield against obligations to oil cartel OPEC.

Saudi oil industry figures showed the kingdom estimated direct use of fuel for power generation to rise to 540,000 bpd this year from 403,000 bpd last year.

"Our main sources are crude oil and natural gas, and the new expansion of power plants this year will use more crude oil," Alawaji told reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference in Singapore.

Using more crude to generate electricity allows the kingdom to utilise fresh output from a major new oilfield while holding firm to its OPEC commitments to curb exports. ...

CRUDE BURN: Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, will step up its use of crude for power generation in 2011 (Getty Images)

CRUDE BURN: Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, will step up its use of crude for power generation in 2011 (Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, will step up its use of crude for power generation in 2011, Saleh Alawaji, the country's junior electricity minister, said on Thursday, as the nation balances use of a new oilfield against obligations to oil cartel OPEC.

Saudi oil industry figures showed the kingdom estimated direct use of fuel for power generation to rise to 540,000 bpd this year from 403,000 bpd last year.

"Our main sources are crude oil and natural gas, and the new expansion of power plants this year will use more crude oil," Alawaji told reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference in Singapore.

Using more crude to generate electricity allows the kingdom to utilise fresh output from a major new oilfield while holding firm to its OPEC commitments to curb exports. It also helps the kingdom meet stricter environment rules.

Power generation capacity in the kingdom is likely to grow by about 6 to 10 percent this year, while installed power generation capacity, which now stands at 50 GW, would grow to 77 GW by 2020.

Peak power demand for the summer in 2010 was 45,000 megawatts (MW), he added, versus 41,000 MW in 2009.

Although sitting on the world's biggest oil and gas reserves, Saudi Arabia is struggling to keep pace with rapidly rising power demand as petrodollars have fueled a region-wide economic boom as well as rapid population growth.