Egypt's gas paradox
Importing gas may seem counterintuitive, but a deal to do just that is part of the country's gas renaissance
Last year a private company, Dolphinus Holdings, signed a $15bn deal to buy Israeli gas. The 10-year contract will see the gas from offshore Israel — from the US' Noble Energy and Israel's Delek Drilling — sold for both domestic consumption and possibly for export via Egypt's two LNG plants, Damietta and Idku. The origins of the deal lie in the chaotic aftermath of Egypt's Arab Spring revolution, when gas production fell below ever-rising consumption. Prior to 2011, Egypt was a gas exporter, selling to Israel via the East Mediterranean Gas (EMG) pipeline. But in 2014, post-revolutionary chaos saw production fall. Prioritising the domestic market, Egypt ceased exports, with the two LNG plants
Also in this section
28 March 2024
The country’s largest gas field is a bright spot for the North Sea, boasting cleaner operations amid a changing mood in Europe over hydrocarbons
28 March 2024
Whether OPEC+ starts to unwind its oil production cuts from June will depend on heavily debated unfolding supply-demand balances
28 March 2024
As a gas supply shortfall looms, balancing regulatory flexibility with energy security and investor confidence will be critical
27 March 2024
Oil producers have to untangle the increasingly complicated relationship with their natural resources