Egypt plans to double its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity by the end of 2019 to reach 2 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d). The country further plans to cooperate with Saudi Arabia to explore hydrocarbon reserves in the Red Sea.

“What we are exporting currently as of today is 1.1 bcf/d and we expect that by the end of the year this figure will go up to 2 bcf/d, and this is when we resume the operation of the Damietta plant. The second plant is expected to operate within this year,” Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum, told the National.

The minister’s announcements came on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum that took place in Jordan from April 6-7.