Egyptian Plan to Supply Europe's LNG Gets Boost as Plant Reopens - BLOOMBERG

February 17, 2021, 1:10 PM GMT+2
Salma El Wardany and Anna Shiryaevskaya

• Trader expected to load shipment at Damietta terminal Feb. 21
• Cargo is first since 2012 for Egypt’s second LNG facility

Egypt is close to restarting its second liquefied natural gas plant after an eight-year hiatus, as the North African nation seeks to become one of Europe’s main suppliers of the fuel.

Vitol Group, the world’s largest independent oil trader, is expected to load a cargo at the Damietta port in northern Egypt, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation. It will be the first shipment from the facility since 2012.

Egypt to Reopen LNG Plant In Push to Be Major European Supplier - BLOOMBERG

January 27, 2021, 11:34 AM GMT+2
Salma El Wardany

• LNG capacity will be 12.5 million tons a year, says minister
• Nation looking to become a major supplier of LNG to Europe

Egypt is set to boost exports of liquefied natural gas by restarting one of its two production plants.

The Damietta facility, which has been idled for eight years, will reopen by the end of February, Oil Minister Tarek El-Molla said in an interview Wednesday with Dubai-based consultancy Gulf Intelligence. It will process about 4.5 million tons of LNG a year and raise the nation’s capacity to 12.5 million tons, he said.

The return of Damietta and the country’s other plant -- Idku, whose exports have picked up after dropping last year amid the coronavirus pandemic -- will mark a revival of Egypt’s LNG push.

While the Arab nation is a relative minnow -- accounting for about 1% of global LNG supplies in 2019 -- it will become one of the top 10 exporters if it reaches full capacity, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Eni to complete Zohr gas processing station in April - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 18 March 2019

Italy’s Eni will by April have completed the construction of a gas treatment station for Zohr-produced gas in Port Said’s El Gameel region, which will connect to the Damietta liquefaction plant, an industry source told the domestic press. 

The Damietta liquefaction plant, of which Eni owns 26%, will be able to export 750 mn cf/d after the completion of the plant.

Egypt’s gas exports from Idku jumps to 800MCF/day - EGYPT TODAY

Wed, Feb. 27, 2019

CAIRO – 27 February 2019: Egypt’s natural gas exports from Idku plant rose to currently 800 million cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per day up from about 250 million cubic feet per day in early January and 300 million cubic feet per day in 2018.

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum Tarek el-Molla clarified to a local newspaper that LNG exports from Idku rose, so Egypt strongly returned to international markets after achieving self-sufficiency.

Molla added that Egypt has taken steps to become a regional hub for energy trading, including exporting liquefied gas from Idku export plant or supplying quantities of gas to Jordan to meet part of its needs.

He elaborated that the amount of gas directed to exports gradually increased because the local consumption lessened during the winter session and the production rate increased, meeting the needs of the industrial sector, power plants, cars and houses.

Petroleum Minister Molla referred to his ministry’s plan to link wells of Zohr, North Alexandria and Burullus to contribute in increasing the local production and covering the consumption rates, and to operating liquefaction plants, besides the gas coming from Cyprus and Israel.

Egypt exporting 520 mln cubic feet of LNG per day from Idku plant - official - REUTERS

JANUARY 2, 2019 / 11:03 AM

CAIRO, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Egypt is currently exporting 520 million cubic feet of liquified natural gas (LNG) per day from its Idku export plant, a petroleum ministry official said on Wednesday.

The country had been exporting 300 million cubic feet of LNG, the official said.

The gas is exported by Malaysia’s Petronas, Royal Dutch Shell, and Egypt’s two main state oil and gas companies.

TEKMOR Note: The Idku Natural Gas Liquefaction Company is co-owned by:

• The Egyptian Gas Holding Co 12%
• The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation 12%
• Royal Dutch Shell (via BG acquisition) 38%
• PETRONAS 38%

(Reporting by Ahmed Ismail; Writing by Nadine Awadalla; editing by Louise Heavens)

Shell’s Idku plant steps up LNG exports as winter curbs local consumption - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 12 December 2018

Royal Dutch Shell’s Idku liquefaction plant has increased exports of natural gas to 500 mcf/d, up from 300 mcf/d previously, a source from EGAS said, attributing the move to a further decline in local consumption levels during winter. 

Just last month, the company increased LNG exports to 300 mcf/d from 250 mcf/d in October. 

Shell and the Oil Ministry had agreed in 2016 to gradually ramp up production at the Idku LNG plant.

EGAS exports 200 mcf/d through Shell’s Idku plant - ENTERPRISE / AL BORSA

Tuesday, 15 August 2017

EGAS exports a daily 200 mcf of gas through Royal Dutch Shell’s Idku liquefaction plant, sources told Al Borsa on Monday. 

The plant should be increasing its export capacity in the winter to pump around 300 mcf/d.