Egypt s Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla said in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that extraction in the Zohr gas field, which is set to start in days, will see the country achieve self-sufficiency in the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) before the end of 2018.
Egypt was a net exporter of LNG until 2014. However, it turned into a net importer in recent years due to a declining output and power shortages amid political turmoil.
Discovered in 2015, Zohr is the largest natural gas field in the Mediterranean and is projected to produce 350 million cubic feet per day by the end of the year, according to the minister.
The completion of the project s first phase and a gradual increase in production are set to be completed by mid-2018.
The North Alexandria concession will begin producing 500-700 million cubic feet of gas per day by the end of 2018.
