Egypt’s gas production to increase to 7bn scf/day next June

(MENAFN – Daily News Egypt) The Ministry of Petroleum aims to increase Egypt’s natural gas production to 7bn cubic feet daily (scf/day) by June, compared to the current production of 6.8bn scf/day through increasing gas production from the Zohr field.

A source at EGAS told Daily News Egypt that the increase from Zohr to 2.6bn scf/day compared to 2.3bn scf/day now will compensate for the natural decline rates and increase the total local production.

He pointed out that new projects were connected to production, such as Zohr, Nawras, North Alexandria and 9B, and have contributed to increasing Egypt’s natural gas production.

The source added that it is targeted to increase Egypt’s natural gas production to 7.5bn scf/day in 2019/20.

The local market’s consumption of natural gas is currently dropping to 5.5bn scf/day as a result of the decrease of electricity plants consumption in winter.

Moreover, the source explained that the consumption rates of natural gas in the local market is growing according to the industrial development and urban plan and the increase in the number of cars that operate with natural gas.

The consumption of the electricity sector represents 61% of the total natural gas consumption, while the rest of the sector such as industry, household, and petroleum products consume 39%.

The source said that the local gas consumption rate would increase gradually to 7bn scf/day in the next fiscal year (FY) compared to 6.2bn scf/day this FY.

The average local market consumption of natural gas will increase to 9bn scf/day by FY 2020/21 according to the industrial development plan with the increase of the electric energy produced and delivered to homes, as well as to the largest number possible of cars operating with gas instead of petroleum products.

The Ministry of Petroleum’s plan aims to complete the implementation of Zohr, North Africa and Borollos to contribute to increasing local production and covering consumption rates with the operation of liquefaction factories through the gas comping from Cyprus and Israel.