In the energy market, the black market1 for oil embodies the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Just as the blind men each touched a different part of the elephant and experienced only a fraction of its true nature, so do policymakers perceive the black market for oil through narrow lenses. However, this market, like the imposing elephant, manifests itself in diverse and multifaceted forms that demand nuanced understanding and cannot be dismissed.

Senior Fellow- Oil & Gas
Majed is a senior fellow at KAPSARC with a focus on energy security, geopolitics, and hydrocarbon laws and regulations. He…
Majed is a senior fellow at KAPSARC with a focus on energy security, geopolitics, and hydrocarbon laws and regulations. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in the fields of simulation and modeling, asset management, reserves estimation, oil field development, disruptive technologies, and business planning, gained at Chevron and Saudi Aramco. Majed holds a B.S. degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa in the United States, along with two M.S. degrees in petroleum engineering, and reservoir geosciences and engineering, respectively, from Texas A&M University and the Institut Francais du Petrole (IFP School). In 2021, Majed earned his Master of Science degree in public economics and policy from Purdue University.
Expertise
- Energy Security
- Geopolitics
- Hydrocarbon Laws and Regulations
Publications See all Majed A. Al Suwailem’s publications

Ground-Source Air Conditioning: A Potential Solution for Saudi Arabia’s Building Sector
In the energy market, the black market1 for oil embodies the ancient parable of the…
8th April 2025
Energy Stewardship in a Transitioning World: Extending the Hydrocarbon Value Chain into Lithium Extraction in Saudi Arabia
In the energy market, the black market1 for oil embodies the ancient parable of the…
21st March 2025