The paper aims to investigate the formation and reasons for the transformation of the energy policy of Saudi Arabia. The authors use the methods of retrospective and comparative analysis to consider the features of the adaptation of Saudi Arabia to various economic conditions. The research object is the features of changes in the foreign and domestic energy policy of Saudi Arabia. It is determined that the gas industry, which is developing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is aimed primarily at the domestic market. This segment is a key element of the country’s energy policy since the energy balance depends on it. Promoting the development of the gas sector, Saudi Arabia increases its energy security and independence in energy supply issues. In addition to the oil and gas sector, Saudi Arabia is actively developing clusters of petrochemical and gas processing industries. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.