Egypt Daily News – Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced that the country may resume natural gas exports to Egypt starting Thursday, a move that could ease some of the mounting pressure facing both countries.
This development follows the shutdown of Israel’s largest natural gas field, Leviathan, on June 13 after Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The closure halted gas supplies to Egypt, which heavily relies on imported gas. In response, Cairo reduced gas flows to several industrial sectors and the company Energean Plc also halted production at another gas field. Cohen emphasized that Israel’s top priority remains meeting domestic energy needs before resuming exports.
Egypt’s Measures to Address the Gas Shortage
The crisis prompted Egypt to explore alternative fuel imports, including fuel oil, to bridge the gap. The Egyptian government also ramped up its purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to avoid the energy shortages that plagued previous summers, when soaring demand led to widespread power outages. Additional LNG shipments are expected to start arriving in Egypt from July.
The resumption of pipeline gas supplies is expected to ease the burden on the Egyptian government, especially amid rising summer temperatures and increased electricity demand for cooling. This step could also help calm concerns over rising Egyptian demand and its potential impact on global energy markets.
