Egyptian LNG turns corner

摘要

LAST year proved a turning point for Egypt, as it achieved self-sufficiency in gas production, ending years of costly liquefied natural gas imports. An even rosier future beckons as the country gears up to regain its role as an LNG exporter thanks to rising gas supplies from high-profile developments including the giant Zohr field. The transformation underpins Egypt's efforts to become a gas distribution and trading hub by taking advantage of its under-utilised LNG facilities and strategic position that gives it easy access to Europe and Asia. Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell and a partnership of Italy's Eni and Spain's Union Fenosa, which saw their LNG plants at the Mediterranean ports of Idku and Dami-etta forced to shut down amid gas shortages arising from the 2011 revolution, stand to benefit most from Egypt's changing fortunes. Shell - now receiving limited supplies at its Idku LNG facilities that are capable of producing a combined 7.2 million tonnes per annum - is expected to more than double production from its twin trains this year as Zohr and the BP-operated West Nile Delta (WND) reach peak production by the end of 2019, boosting domestic flows by more than 1 billion cubic feet per day.