en.Wedoany.com Reported - Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has begun importing a shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time via the Damietta liquefaction plant to address domestic gas and energy supply pressures during the peak summer consumption period. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed the information to CNN Economic (CNN الاقتصادية).

Egypt has two natural gas liquefaction plants: one in Idku, owned by the Egyptian Natural Gas Liquefaction Company (الشركة المصرية للغاز الطبيعي المسال), with two liquefaction trains and a daily processing capacity of approximately 1.35 billion cubic feet of natural gas; the other in Damietta, owned by Italy's Eni, the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (إيجاس), and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, with a single liquefaction train and a daily processing capacity of approximately 750 million cubic feet, previously used primarily for exports. The LNG carrier "GASLOG GENEVA," currently docked at the Damietta terminal, will unload a cargo originating from the United States.

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources estimates that the bill for securing natural gas supplies and importing heavy fuel oil to meet the needs of power plants and the industrial sector during the four-month summer period amounts to approximately $10 billion. This includes the cost of leasing four gasification units, plus a fifth unit leased this month (July). Egypt began importing LNG in April 2024 to address growing natural gas demand in the power sector and reduce power outages. In early 2025, the ministry further expanded import operations by signing contracts to lease four gasification units. These gasification stations convert imported liquid LNG into gaseous form before injecting it into the national gas grid.

According to a report by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Egypt's LNG imports in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 152% year-on-year, reaching 3.85 billion cubic meters, compared to 1.53 billion cubic meters in the same period of 2025. Data from energy analysis firm Kpler shows that Egypt will import approximately 9.9 million tons of LNG in 2026, equivalent to about 130 cargoes, assuming each cargo contains 0.076 tons of LNG.