Jordan seeks alternatives to Egyptian gas

PanARMENIAN.Net - Jordanian Prime Minister Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh said on Tuesday, February 21 that he would visit Iraq "very soon" to discuss alternatives to Egyptian natural gas supplies. Egyptian supplies to Jordan stopped on February 5 after the pipeline was blown up. This was the twelfth attack on the pipeline since the revolution erupted in Egypt in 2011.

Al-Khasawneh told Al-Ghad independent newspaper regarding the continuous sabotage of Egyptian gas pipes carrying natural gas to Jordan and Israel that "we have started to move [looking for alternatives] with Qatar, but I cannot currently find available options except in Iraq."

He added that he will visit Iraq soon to explore the situation while talks with Qatar are ongoing, adding that the issue is also being discussed with Saudi Arabia, AFP reported.

Jordan currently imports around 10,000 crude oil barrels a day comprising 10 per cent of its oil needs, with the remaining 90 per cent coming from Saudi Arabia.

Jordan hopes Iraq will provide it with an additional 20,000 barrels to make up for the shortage.

Al-Khasawneh said that "what we need to do to handle the crisis is to legislate and rationalise consumption. As for ready alternative sources, the truth is we have none and today we are trying to increase our storage capacity as well as opening up markets to allow for more than one company to operate."