Amman, July 26 (Petra) – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Saleh Kharabsheh affirmed that the ministry is moving forward with
strategic projects to expand the natural gas network to industrial
clusters across the Kingdom as part of the Economic Modernisation
Vision.

The projects aim to reduce energy costs, enhance the competitiveness
of the industrial sector and strengthen energy security.

In press statements, Kharabsheh said the government is committed to
providing diversified energy sources at competitive prices, noting
that replacing diesel with natural gas can reduce industrial fuel
costs by up to 50 per cent.

He said the natural gas network has already reached the Al Qastal and
Al Hashimiyah industrial zones. Earlier today, Prime Minister Jafar
Hassan inaugurated the pressure reduction and metering station in the
Al Quwayrah Industrial Zone, along with the Southern Region station
in Aqaba.

The new facilities are expected to support the supply of natural gas
to industries and encourage additional industrial investment.

Kharabsheh added that the ministry is working to extend natural gas
to the Muwaqqar Industrial Zone and the Ma’an Development Zone.

A consultancy agreement has been signed to prepare the technical
studies required to supply gas to the Mafraq Development Zone and the
new industrial zone in Zarqa.

He said the ministry expects natural gas to reach all major
industrial clusters within the next three years.

The minister noted that the ministry is establishing compressed
natural gas (CNG) stations to serve industrial facilities located
outside major industrial zones by transporting gas via tanker trucks.

Three stations have been designated for compressing and transporting
natural gas to support various economic sectors.

On domestic gas production, Kharabsheh said development of the Risha
gas field is progressing as planned.

The National Petroleum Company is implementing an 80-well drilling
programme aimed at increasing production to approximately 418 million
cubic feet per day by 2029.

He noted that the output would exceed the electricity sector’s
current demand, estimated at between 330 million and 340 million
cubic feet per day.

Kharabsheh added that the ministry is simultaneously working to
construct a pipeline linking production from the Risha field to the
Arab Gas Pipeline, strengthening the Kingdom’s gas infrastructure and
maximising the use of domestic resources.

He discussed the significance of the gasification plant inaugurated
by the Prime Minister, describing it as a key component of the
Kingdom’s permanent energy infrastructure.

The facility converts imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) into its
gaseous form for distribution through the national pipeline network,
providing a permanent alternative to the floating storage and
regasification unit used in previous years while enhancing the
flexibility and reliability of Jordan’s natural gas supply system.

//Petra// AK