Egypt will decrease its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by three cargoes a month when the Zohr natural gas field comes online, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla, said, according to Amwal Al Ghad.

The country’s imports of LNG will decrease to five cargoes per month, saving the government $60 million every month.

The start date for the field is pending trial results, El Molla noted, stating that production could begin anytime–even within twenty-four hours.

He predicted that production from Zohr could reach one billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) by next June. Combined with production from the Atoll field, which is expected to reach 300 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d), the new production should put Egypt on the path to self-sufficiency, he said.