Egypt LNG restart optimism no substitute for gas strategy

The high-profile restart of the Damietta facility has ramped up rhetoric and expectations. But it may not be as simple as that

Egyptian authorities have hailed the first cargoes from the 7.56bn m³/yr (5.3mn t/yr) Damietta plant, after almost nine years of inactivity, as a boost to the country’s profile as an LNG exporter and to its role as a potential regional hub in the East Mediterranean. But, beyond the short-term monetary benefit of LNG exports, the impact of the global pandemic on wider LNG prices and on Egypt’s finances highlights the need for a sustainable and long-term policy that integrates the country’s gas sector priorities. That must include the role and price of gas in the domestic market and economy and the need to incentivise upstream activities, as well as the benefits of LNG as a revenue source and