EGAS is intensifying efforts to import natural gas and accelerate coordination with foreign companies for the implementation of gas development projects, all to solve the gas shortage afflicting the industrial sector before the end of this year, reported Al-Mal.

EGAS had stated recently that the second Floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), in Port Sukhna, is still operating at the experimental stage now, while the third FSRU should be contracted for in early 2017 to meet the needs of the new power plants being carried out by the German company Siemens.

The petroleum ministry was on the verge of leasing a fourth vessel but the gas discoveries made in Sharq al-Bihara postponed this move.

EGAS chairman Khaled Abdel Badie also told Al-Mal that factories with were medium to low energy consumers were receiving their full quota in the current period.

He added that the second FSRU would save huge amounts of gas sufficient to meet the needs of heavy gas using factories, and the operation of petrochemical projects.

Sources had confirmed that, in statements made recently, that power plants consumption had declined in the current period, reaching about 3.2 bcf of natural gas, compared to 3.9 bcf during peak periods in the summer.

The electricity sector’s consumption of fuel decreased between 100 and 105 mcm/d, compared to the more than 135 mcm/d during the peak summer consumption.

According to the latest EGAS statistics, the volume of natural gas supplied to fertilizer factories exceeded 500 mcf/d. The steel sector received in excess of 200 mcf/d while the household and vehicle sector received 1.2 bcf/d.