An official at the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum revealed that the Ain Sokhna Port has received the Norwegian ship “Hoegh Gallant,” which serves as a floating gas liquefaction plant to be used for importing gas to pump into the electricity grids, alleviating the severity of the crisis Egypt is currently facing due to ongoing power outages.
The official, who declined to be named, told 24 that the Norwegian ship Hoegh Gallant has arrived at the Ain Sokhna Port, and trial operation will begin before receiving new shipments of natural gas. The Egyptian company “Egas” will soon issue a tender to import several shipments of liquefied gas to meet Egypt’s needs for gas used in power stations.
The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum seeks to increase domestic gas production by expanding exploration and research operations, in addition to importing more shipments and diversifying fuel resources as part of the ministry’s strategy to secure Egypt’s fuel needs.
Egypt resumed gas imports for the first time since 2018 after discovering new fields, notably the Zohr field in the Mediterranean Sea, which increased Egypt’s gas production, turning it into an exporter. Egypt recorded its highest gas exports to Europe in 2022, reaching 8 million tons, with revenues of $8.4 billion following Russia’s cessation of gas exports to Europe.
The Ministry of Petroleum halted gas pumping to fertilizer factories in the past few days, leading to a halt in production operations, then announced the resumption of gas pumping.
Subsequently, Egypt faced a shortage in the local gas production volume, attributed by officials to the natural decline in field production, prompting it to decide to halt gas exports starting from May of last year to meet the country’s electricity production needs during the summer months, when consumption rates increase.
