The ancient Tethys Ocean, which existed 250 million years ago, is behind the vast oil wealth of the Middle East.
The Middle East’s status as one of the world’s leading oil-producing regions is rooted in geological processes that began hundreds of millions of years agolong before the first major oil discovery in 1908 in Persia, now Iran.
Scientists attribute the origin of the region’s oil wealth to Tethys Oceana vast tropical sea that existed between 250 and 50 million years ago. This ancient body of water covered much of what is now the Middle East, situated between the supercontinents Gondwana and Laurasia. It was rich in marine life, particularly microscopic organisms such as plankton and algae.
As tectonic plates moved over time, the African and Arabian plates collided with the Eurasian plate, gradually closing the Tethys Ocean. This process buried enormous amounts of organic material under layers of sediment. Over millions of years, heat and pressure transformed these remains into hydrocarbons, forming deposits of oil and natural gas. Contrary to popular belief, crude oil is primarily derived from microscopic marine life, not dinosaurs.
The same geological activity also created ideal conditions for the accumulation of oil. Layers of rock folded into structures that trapped oil underground, often in relatively shallow reservoirs. This makes extraction in the Middle East easier and more economically viable than in many other parts of the world, explains .
Currently, the region represents around 30% of global oil production and around 17% of natural gas production. Production is mainly driven by countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq.
Despite this dominance, the Middle East does not have the largest total oil reserves. Venezuela has the largest proven reserves in the world, while the United States is currently the largest producer.
What distinguishes the Middle East is the quality and accessibility of its oil. Much of it is classified as “light and sweet,” meaning it is easier and cheaper to extract and refine than the heavier crude oil found elsewhere.
