Egypt's Gas Output to Double by 2020: Minister
Egypt's petroleum minister Tarek El Molla said July 17 that new gas projects will increase the country's production by 50% in 2018 and 100% in 2020, according to a report in English language newspaper Daily News Egypt.
The report added that Egyptian gas production rose to about 5.1bn ft3/d (52.7bn m3/yr) in 2017, from 4.4bn ft³/d (45.5bn m3/yr) in 2016, as BP’s North Alexandria projects came online.
El Molla's announcement states what is already largely known: NGW wrote in mid-2016 that based on new discoveries and development plans Egypt expects to more than double its current gas production by 2020 bringing onstream another 50-60bn m³/yr of gas.
The start-up later this year of the giant Zohr field, operated by Eni, will be followed by a second Zohr phase starting 2019. Phase 1 of Zohr will produce at 1bn ft3/d (10.3bn m3/yr), while phase 2 will increase the supergiant field's output to 2.8bn ft3/d (29bn m3/yr).
Egypt is in talks with LNG suppliers to postpone contracted shipments this year and aims to cut purchases in 2018, further reported Daily News Egypt quoting El Molla.
Mark Smedley