As Yemen’s energy sector continues to grapple with the effects of war and a steep decline in foreign investment, Safer Exploration & Production Operations Company — the country’s largest oil and gas producer — has unveiled plans to expand the use of its hydrocarbon resources. These plans include introducing compressed natural gas as a fuel for vehicles and households and studying the development of potential shale oil reserves. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Safer Chief Executive Officer Salem Kaiti said the company is technically prepared to resume production and exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) whenever the government authorizes the move and security and political conditions permit. He added that any restart would be gradual and would follow the rehabilitation and maintenance of selected wells and facilities. According to Kaiti, Safer currently produces about 15,000 barrels of oil per day and 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, down from approximately 32,000 barrels per day and 2.2 trillion cubic feet before the war. He attributed the decline to the suspension of development, drilling, and exploration activities, as well as the departure of several foreign companies from Yemen’s energy sector. The executive also revealed that Safer is studying a strategic project to develop compressed natural gas (CNG) based on methane gas as a lower-cost alternative to transportation fuels and household cooking gas. Yemen possesses substantial methane reserves, he said, but the project would require significant investment in infrastructure, transportation networks, and distribution stations. In addition, Safer is examining opportunities in unconventional oil resources, including shale oil. Preliminary studies conducted by oilfield services company Schlumberger indicated promising signs of significant reserves, according to Kaiti. However, confirming those estimates and developing the resource commercially would require advanced technologies and partnerships with specialized international companies. Kaiti also expressed interest in building future cooperation with Saudi Aramco, particularly in training, workforce development, and benefiting from the company’s expertise across the energy sector. Maintaining Operations During Wartime Kaiti stressed that Safer has operated under extraordinary conditions throughout years of conflict and economic instability. Despite security and financial challenges, the company’s workforce has managed to keep critical facilities in the oil-producing governorate of Marib running and prevent significant deterioration. Operations have been strained by prolonged interruptions to exports, aging infrastructure, and the withdrawal of many foreign service companies. Nevertheless, Safer continued maintenance programs for wells and production facilities, preserved output levels, and maintained supplies of petroleum products and cooking gas to the domestic market. Among the company’s most significant achievements, Kaiti cited the relocation of Safer’s headquarters and financial center from areas controlled by the Houthis to Marib in early 2017. The company also resumed oil exports in October 2019 through truck transport to facilities operated by YCOM, with shipments eventually reaching the Port of Nushaymah on the Arabian Sea. Between 2019 and 2022, total exports reached approximately 8.6 million barrels. Safer also succeeded in returning 17 inactive wells to production. Between 2023 and 2025, those efforts generated cumulative output of 554,000 barrels of oil and 52 billion cubic feet of gas. In December 2024, the company restarted production from the Al-Wahda-2 well using electric submersible pump technology, which Kaiti described as the first step toward wider deployment of the technology across other wells. The company resumed well-maintenance operations in May 2018 after a three-year halt. According to Kaiti, some wells faced serious technical risks that could have resulted in accidents or gas leaks, but engineering teams successfully addressed the problems. Other accomplishments include launching production of improved gasoline for the local market, constructing a 55,000-barrel crude oil storage tank at the central processing facility, paving a 40-kilometer road linking Safer and Al-Ruwaik, and supporting development projects in education and healthcare across Marib. War-Driven Production Decline Before the conflict, Safer’s production stood at approximately 32,000 barrels of oil per day and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Today, those figures have fallen to around 15,000 barrels per day and 1.6 trillion cubic feet, respectively. Kaiti attributed the decline to the natural depletion of mature fields, the suspension of field-development programs, halted drilling and exploration activities, weak maintenance programs, and the departure of foreign companies because of the war. Given current conditions, he said the company’s priority is to stabilize production and prevent further declines until circumstances allow larger development projects to resume. Workforce and Economic Role Kaiti described Safer as one of the pillars of Yemen’s economy, citing its role in supplying domestic markets with cooking gas, gasoline, and diesel, while contributing to government revenues and employment. The company also provides fuel for power stations, helping maintain electricity supplies in Marib and other governorates. Approximately 99 percent of Safer’s workforce is Yemeni, with the company employing around 1,000 people, in addition to hundreds of workers employed by contractors from across the country. Future Projects: Shale Oil and CNG Looking ahead, Safer has developed both short- and long-term exploration and development plans aimed at increasing and sustaining production and identifying new reserves. Their implementation, however, remains dependent on security and financial conditions. Planned initiatives include drilling new development and exploration wells, launching projects to produce and process heavy crude oil and asphalt, and expanding the use of gas-lift systems and electric submersible pumps. The company is also studying projects to process hydrogen sulfide gas in several fields and install specialized equipment to improve the quality of oil and gas production. Kaiti emphasized that developing shale oil resources would require partnerships with international firms possessing advanced technology and expertise, given the high costs and technical complexity involved. LNG Exports Could Resume Gradually On the prospect of restarting LNG exports, Kaiti said Safer has preserved upstream facilities throughout the war and remains technically ready to resume production and exports once political and security conditions improve and the government gives its approval. Any restart would be gradual, he noted, because some wells and facilities require maintenance and rehabilitation after years of inactivity. Extended shutdowns have affected portions of the company’s equipment and surface installations. Kaiti also voiced hope that foreign companies that left Yemen during the conflict would eventually return. While some have already resumed activities through Yemeni staff, others continue to monitor the security situation before deciding whether to re-enter the market.
