Saudi Arabia raised its oil production to a record last month while much of the kingdom sweltered in record temperatures that have also hit neighboring countries across the Middle East. There is not enough statistical data to draw a direct connection between the two but it is likely most if not all the extra oil production was burned in the kingdom’s power plants to meet electricity demand. Saudi Arabia’s power generators rely heavily on burning unrefined crude as well as residual fuel oil and diesel to meet electricity demand. Combustion of crude, heavy fuel oil and diesel accounted for 68 percent of the fuels used to generate electricity in 2014, according to the Saudi Electricity and Co-Generation Regulatory Authority. Crude combustion accounted for 44 percent […]