Sunday, 27 May 2018
Egypt is on its way to once again becoming a net exporter of LNG, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest report.
The report nods to new gas discoveries in the East Mediterranean, coupled with the government’s drive to reform the energy sector, for renewing investor and business interest in the country, which had died down during the economic slump that followed the 2011 uprising.
Egypt is the largest non-OPEC oil producer in Africa and the third-largest dry natural gas producer on the continent. The country also serves as a major transit route for oil shipped from the Persian Gulf to Europe and to the United States.
Egypt is the largest oil producer in Africa outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the third-largest natural gas producer on the continent following Algeria and Nigeria. Egypt plays a vital role in international energy markets through its operation of the Suez Canal and the Suez-Mediterranean (SUMED) Pipeline.
The Suez Canal is an important transit route for oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments traveling northbound from the Persian Gulf to Europe and to North America and for shipments traveling southbound from North Africa and from countries along the Mediterranean Sea to Asia. Fees collected from these two transit points are significant sources of revenue for the Egyptian government.
The 2011 revolution led to an economic downturn, and the country experienced a sharp decline in tourism revenue and foreign direct investment, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, economic conditions have improved over the past few years, and financial support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait has helped Egypt address its increasing domestic demand for energy.
