An Egyptian government official revealed the goal of increasing natural gas production in Egypt during the next fiscal year 2024-2025, bringing the average production to 5.7 billion cubic feet per day, an increase representing 8% compared to the current production of 5.3 billion cubic feet per day.

The official added that the expected increase in natural gas production will come from the start of production from new fields belonging to Shell and Petronas in deep water in the western Delta, to an estimated 200 million cubic feet per day with some fields belonging to Eni and Chevron, noting that the relevant government agencies aim for this. To skip the normal undo of existing fields.

Figures from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) showed a decline in natural gas production in Egypt during 2024 to its lowest levels since 2017, with an estimated decline of 11.5% from 2022 on an annual basis. It reached 59.29 billion cubic metres.

Egypt began purchasing liquefied natural gas shipments last month in an effort to eliminate electricity outages. The government company EGAS purchased at least more than one shipment of liquefied natural gas to be delivered directly to the Aqaba gasification station in Jordan, before transporting it by pipeline to Egypt.

Egypt's purchases of natural gas are considered a major turning point for it. This is because it largely stopped importing fuel in 2018, after the discovery of the huge Zohr gas field boosted local production and led to its transformation into an exporting country.

Egypt is seeking to meet its electricity needs in the summer months – as the power outage crisis has resurfaced – by working to increase the quantities of gas available in the country in the second half of 2024. The authorities also decided after the Eid al-Fitr holiday to implement a system to reduce electrical loads for a period of up to Two hours a day, by cutting off electricity alternately between regions.

A government official announced last month that Egypt is ready to import three shipments of liquefied gas per month from July to October, at a cost of up to $120 million per month.