Energy Minister: Strategic projects to deliver natural gas to industrial clusters across Kingdom

Amman, July 26 (Petra) – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh affirmed that the ministry is moving forward with strategic projects to expand the natural gas network to industrial clusters across the Kingdom as part of the Economic Modernisation Vision.

The projects aim to reduce energy costs, enhance the competitiveness of the industrial sector and strengthen energy security.

In press statements, Kharabsheh said the government is committed to providing diversified energy sources at competitive prices, noting that replacing diesel with natural gas can reduce industrial fuel costs by up to 50 per cent.

He said the natural gas network has already reached the Al Qastal and Al Hashimiyah industrial zones. Earlier today, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan inaugurated the pressure reduction and metering station in the Al Quwayrah Industrial Zone, along with the Southern Region station in Aqaba.

The new facilities are expected to support the supply of natural gas to industries and encourage additional industrial investment.

Kharabsheh added that the ministry is working to extend natural gas to the Muwaqqar Industrial Zone and the Ma'an Development Zone.

A consultancy agreement has been signed to prepare the technical studies required to supply gas to the Mafraq Development Zone and the new industrial zone in Zarqa.

He said the ministry expects natural gas to reach all major industrial clusters within the next three years.

The minister noted that the ministry is establishing compressed natural gas (CNG) stations to serve industrial facilities located outside major industrial zones by transporting gas via tanker trucks.

Three stations have been designated for compressing and transporting natural gas to support various economic sectors.

On domestic gas production, Kharabsheh said development of the Risha gas field is progressing as planned.

The National Petroleum Company is implementing an 80-well drilling programme aimed at increasing production to approximately 418 million cubic feet per day by 2029.

He noted that the output would exceed the electricity sector's current demand, estimated at between 330 million and 340 million cubic feet per day.

Kharabsheh added that the ministry is simultaneously working to construct a pipeline linking production from the Risha field to the Arab Gas Pipeline, strengthening the Kingdom's gas infrastructure and maximising the use of domestic resources.

He discussed the significance of the gasification plant inaugurated by the Prime Minister, describing it as a key component of the Kingdom's permanent energy infrastructure.

The facility converts imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) into its gaseous form for distribution through the national pipeline network, providing a permanent alternative to the floating storage and regasification unit used in previous years while enhancing the flexibility and reliability of Jordan's natural gas supply system. //Petra// AK