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Jordan still interested in Gaza gas, seeking deal with Shell

By Mohammad Ghazal - Apr 13,2016 - Last updated at Apr 13,2016

AMMAN — Jordan will renegotiate a deal with British Gas Group to import natural gas from Gaza Strip after Shell acquired the company, according to a government official.

“Following Shell›s acquisition of British Gas Group, we plan to have meetings with Shell to revive the agreement,” secretary general of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC),

Farouq Hiari, told The Jordan Times.

“This agreement is very important to us, a priority. Therefore, we want to discuss with Shell how we can revive it,” the official added.

“We need to figure out whether this agreement is a priority or not for Shell at this stage”, he said.

In 2014, Jordan announced that it would import about one-third of its needs of natural gas from Gaza Strips’ offshore gas fields at the end of 2017.

Jordan signed a letter of intent with British Gas Group, which has concession rights to explore offshore gas in Gaza Strip.

Under the deal, Jordan was expected to import 150-180 million cubic feet per day of natural gas from fields the company is developing off the coast of the enclave.

British Gas Group and its partner, the Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company, owned by Lebanon’s Sabbagh and Khoury families, were granted oil and gas exploration rights in a 25-year agreement signed in November 1999 with the Palestinian Authority.

 

Jordan imports about 96 per cent of its annual energy needs and is implementing a strategy to diversify its sources, with more reliance on natural gas and renewable energy to generate electricity. 

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