Egypt will invest US$7B into petroleum refining projects, according to the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources H.E. Tarek Al-Molla, in a bid to be self-sufficient in gasoline and diesel by 2023.
“Refineries play an important role in meeting the needs of the local market of petroleum products,” Minister Al-Molla.
In December, Egypt signed two grant agreements with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency totaling US$1.4M to conduct feasibility studies to upgrade two major refineries in-country – another step toward augmenting downstream capabilities.
Following major discoveries like the Zohr gas field in 2015 – which holds an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet of gas – Egypt seeks to utilize its substantial hydrocarbon reserves to serve as a regional hub for the production and trade of liquefied natural gas.
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Original article on Africa Oil & Power