The Natural Gas Regulatory Authority will issue the first gas importing license to a private sector company by the end of 2018, an official source told Al Shorouk.

The ministry source said that gas companies are currently filing papers to apply for the licenses, which will now be administered by the Natural Gas Regulatory Authority and not the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS).

EGAS previously gave BB Energy, Fleet Energy, and Qalaa Holdings’ TAQA Arabia preliminary permission for import licenses back in October 2017. However, these companies will now need to seek approval from the new gas authority before they obtain licenses.

The Ministry of Petroleum announced on June 3 that the new authority will soon begin operations, Egypt Oil & Gas reported.