Skip to main content

Egypt turns to Qatar for LNG as gas production slips

1 min Sandrine Zimra

Egypt and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales and imports, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said on Sunday.

Egypt expands LNG deals © Mena Today 

Egypt expands LNG deals © Mena Today 

Egypt and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales and imports, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said on Sunday.

Under the agreement, Qatari LNG shipments will be supplied to Egypt through the Ain Sokhna and Damietta ports, helping Cairo secure fuel supplies ahead of the peak summer demand period. QatarEnergy said the deal includes the delivery of up to 24 LNG cargoes to Egypt over the coming months.

The agreement comes as Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation, works to boost domestic gas production while diversifying its import sources to meet rising energy consumption.

Gas output has been under pressure since late 2022, complicating Egypt’s ambitions to position itself as a regional energy hub. The production decline has forced the country to plan for increased imports from Israel and Cyprus, alongside more expensive spot LNG cargoes.

According to data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, Egypt produced 3,635 million cubic meters of natural gas in October last year, slightly up from 3,525 million cubic meters in September, but still below the 3,851 million cubic meters recorded in October 2024.

Despite the challenges, Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi said last week that Egypt remains committed to achieving self-sufficiency in oil and gas, according to a cabinet statement.

Sandrine Zimra

Sandrine Zimra

Sandrine Zimra has been a financial analyst for 25 years. Based in Geneva, she covers countries in the Middle East and travels regularly to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and Israel. She contributes to Mena Today with her financial reports and insights on the region.

Related

Sudan

Sudan war enters fourth year: What to know

On April 15, 2026, the war in Sudan entered its fourth year, a grim milestone that passed largely unnoticed, overshadowed by conflicts elsewhere. Yet the United Nations has called it unequivocally the world's worst humanitarian crisis. 

Sudan

Germany seeks $1 billion in aid for Sudan to ease hunger crisis

Germany pledged a further 20 million euros ($23.6 million) to Sudan this year, the development ministry said on Wednesday, ahead of an international aid conference hosted in Berlin that is aiming to gather more than $1 billion in funding commitments.

Libya

Two arms brokers face UK trial over Libya weapons deals

Two arms brokers arranged illegal deals to supply ex-Soviet surface-to-air missile systems to South Sudan and fighter jets to Libya during its civil war, British prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.