Khaberni - On Thursday, at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, an annex extension agreement for the transport of re-gasified liquefied natural gas back to its natural state (natural gas) from the FSRU unit in Aqaba was signed, aiming to supply power generation stations and the industrial sector through the main gas network in the kingdom.
The tripartite agreement was signed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, the CEO of Fajr Jordanian-Egyptian Company for Natural Gas Yasser Salah El Din, and the General Manager of the National Electricity Company Sofyan Al-Batayneh.
The signing of the annex continues the joint cooperation between the three parties, aiming to ensure the Kingdom's natural gas supply through the main transmission network, which contributes to enhancing the reliability of supply and meeting the needs of power generation stations and the industrial sector, and supporting the government's efforts to raise the efficiency of the national energy system and reduce operating costs.
During the signing ceremony, Al-Kharabsheh emphasized that extending the agreement represents an important step towards enhancing the flexibility of the national energy system and developing the infrastructure of the natural gas sector, ensuring the sustainability of supplies and providing reliable energy sources that support the national economy.
The extension of the agreement aims to ensure the continuous supply of natural gas to power generation stations and the industrial sector, and meet the needs of the local market, which contributes to achieving efficiency in operation and cost and supporting the national energy system.
This extension comes after the previous agreement, which started in 2015 and lasted for ten years, and coincides with the departure of the floating vessel "Energos Eskimo" from the port of Aqaba.
Under the new extension, gas transfer operations will be completed through the currently docked vessel "Energos Force" in Aqaba, leased on behalf of the Egyptian Holding Company for Natural Gases (EGAS), or through other vessels in the future, until the completion of the project to develop the new liquefied natural gas port in Aqaba, expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The National Electricity Company confirmed that the extension of the agreement does not entail any additional financial obligations, as transport costs are paid only when transfer operations are actually executed, according to the tariff previously set within the licensing agreement signed between the Jordanian government, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Fajr Jordanian-Egyptian Company since 2004.
This measure is in line with Jordan's economic modernization vision and the ministry's strategy for diversifying sources of natural gas supply and benefiting from the main gas network, which currently extends 500 kilometers from the city of Aqaba in the south to the Jordanian-Syrian border in the north, and currently feeds a number of power generation stations and industrial facilities.
