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Storage sphere tanks for liquefied natural gas (LNG) stand at a port in Jordan. Photographer: Annie Sakkab/Bloomberg. Image used for illustrative purpose. Image courtesy: Getty Images/ Bloomberg Creative Photos
Jordan has started rationing gas supplies to its industrial sector to ensure sufficient gas for power facilities in an emergency plan spurred by the halt of Israeli gas exports.
Israel shut down production at its biggest natural gas field after it launched airstrikes against Iran on Friday, halting supplies to neighboring Jordan and Egypt.
The Israeli Energy Ministry said it has ordered the half of the offshore Leviathan field operated by the US Chevron Corp. shut due to security reasons.
“We have activated an emergency plan to ensure continued gas supplies to power facilities,” said Sufian Al-Batayney, director general of Jordan’s National Electric Power Company, which is in charge of power distribution in the Kingdom.
Al-Ghad and other Jordanian newspapers said the country is now suffering from a gas shortage after the halt of Israeli supplies under their 15-year agreement signed in 2016.
Jordan also imports 100-150 million cubic feet of gas from Egypt, which has also stopped the supplies after its imports from Israel were suspended.
“Authorities have started to ration gas supplies to the industrial sector and other facilities so the electricity sector will not suffer from any shortage,” the report said.
Official data showed Jordan consumes nearly 300 million cubic metres of gas per day, supplied by Israel, Egypt and Risha field, Jordan’s largest gas field.
The Risha field in the country’s eastern desert has just been expanded to produce nearly 62 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d) and the current five-year development plan will lift output to 418 mcf/d.
Around 16-20 mcf/d of the produced gas is sold to local companies but the supplies are way below Jordan’s growing gas needs, mainly for its power and industrial sector.
Local reports said last week that the field’s output would peak in July 2030 to provide more than 60 percent of the country’s energy needs.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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