Egypt to import 20 additional LNG shipments to counter gas supply crisis

The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources plans to increase its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by around 20 new shipments starting in March 2026, Al Arabiya Business reported, quoting government officials.

The emergency measure follows the total cessation of Israeli gas flows, which previously averaged 1.05bn cubic feet (bcf) per day, approximately 29.7mn cubic metres (mcm) per day, before the shutdown of the Leviathan and Tamar fields owing to the escalating conflict with Iran.

Egypt needs to ensure grid stability and prevent power outages during the hottest months of the year, even as it navigates the fiscal challenge of financing high-volume energy imports on the global market.

According to the government officials, the ministry aims to secure over 2 bcf (about 56.6 mcm) per day through these LNG cargoes to stabilise the domestic market. 

In December 2025, Egypt and Israel approved a landmark $35bn deal to supply 130bn cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas over 15 years, but the deal currently faces severe disruption due to the recent shutdown of the Leviathan field amid the escalating regional conflict.

Egypt’s gas shortage is primarily driven by a sharp decline in domestic production at major fields like Zohr due to technical issues and water infiltration, which saw output fall by nearly 25% over the past two years. The supply drop coincides with record-breaking electricity demand during intense summer heatwaves, forcing the government to divert potential exports to local power plants.

In mid-February, Egypt announced it was preparing to launch a major international tender in March 2026 to import 75 additional shipments of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), according to Asharq Business. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in April.

Concurrently, Cairo has halted the daily supply of 100mn cubic feet (mmcf) per day, about 2.8 mcm per day, of gas to Syria and Lebanon via the Arab Gas Pipeline. Supplies received through the Energos Force regasification vessel in Jordan’s Aqaba port are also being redirected to meet Jordanian domestic demand after Israel cut its 300 mmcf ( about 8.5 mcm) daily export to the kingdom.