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Massive Surge in Egypt’s LNG Imports in Q2 2025


Mon 21 Jul 2025 | 01:27 AM
A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker arrives at a gas storage station (AFP)
A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker arrives at a gas storage station (AFP)
Taarek Refaat

In a dramatic shift, Egypt's liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports surged by an extraordinary 1650% in the second quarter of 2025, according to a report by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. 

The country's imports reached 1.75 billion cubic meters of LNG, up from just 0.1 billion cubic meters during the same period in 2024.

Conversely, Egypt’s natural gas exports plummeted to zero in Q2 2025, a stark contrast to previous years. The drop in exports is attributed to a combination of factors, including declining domestic production, higher domestic demand, and the temporary halt in pipeline imports from Israel.

Globally, gas consumption fell by 3% year-on-year in Q2 2025, primarily due to reduced demand in the residential and commercial sectors. However, the first half of 2025 saw a 4% increase in global gas consumption, driven by a strong performance in Q1 2025. 

The growth was mainly fueled by adverse weather conditions, including cold spells and lower availability of renewable energy sources such as wind and hydropower.

As previously reported by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), Egypt’s LNG imports during the first four months of 2025 climbed by 136.2% to $2.41 billion, up from $1.02 billion during the same period in 2024. This marks a $1.39 billion increase, highlighting the country's increasing dependency on external gas supplies.

On the other hand, exports of both natural gas and LNG saw a significant decline of 81.1% in the first four months of 2025, reaching just $51.04 million, compared to $270.2 million during the same period in 2024, a drop of $219.16 million.

Egypt’s Zohr gas field, once one of the largest discoveries in the Mediterranean, has experienced a decline in production, contributing to the country’s need for LNG imports. When the field began production in December 2017, it produced nearly 3 billion cubic feet of gas per day, contributing significantly to Egypt’s self-sufficiency in gas.

However, as production from Zohr has diminished, Egypt has turned to LNG imports to fill the gap. In May 2025, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly confirmed that Egypt’s gas production would see a temporary decline in the coming months due to ongoing production challenges.

Madbouly indicated that while gas production would decline in the short term, the government expects a recovery starting in September 2025, driven by exploration activities and new discoveries in Egypt’s oil and gas sector.

Looking ahead, Goldman Sachs has revised its forecast for Egypt’s LNG imports for the 2025-2026 period, now predicting a range of 7 to 9 million tons per year, up from previous estimates of 4 to 5 million tons. Furthermore, the bank expects imports to rise to 12 million tons per year from 2026 to 2030, a significant increase compared to prior projections of just 3 million tons annually.

These projections suggest that Egypt’s energy strategy will continue to evolve, balancing between domestic production, imports, and the potential for new gas field discoveries to stabilize the country’s energy supply in the long term.