Global General

Jordan confirms Egyptian gas supply halt

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-27 17:38

AMMAN - Jordan said Wednesday an attack against a gas pipeline in northern Egyptian border city el Arish led to the halt of natural gas supply to the Arab kingdom, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Related readings: Egypt suspends controversial governor  Gas pipeline blown up in Pakistan  27 killed in Mexico pipeline explosion

The energy-poor kingdom, which imports about 96 percent of its energy needs annually, will resort to using heavy fuel and diesel to generate power, according to officials.

"We have reserve of heavy fuel and diesel that is sufficient for two weeks to operate the power generations plants and work is underway with the country's petroleum refinery to secure more amounts of heavy fuel and diesel to run the plants unless gas supply resumes," Jordan's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaled Toukan said Wednesday.

The daily cost of generating power based on heavy fuel and diesel is estimated at about three million Jordanian dinars (about $4.5 million).

Over the past three years, about 80 percent of power generated in the Kingdom relied on the Egyptian gas. In 2010, Jordan imported about 239 million cubic meters of gas from Egypt.

Early Wednesday, a gas pipeline in northern Egyptian border city el Arish exploded and caused huge flames 20 to 30 meters high.

Residents in southwest of the city said they heard a big blast at about 3:30 a.m. (0130 GMT), and felt shake in their houses.

A natural gas pipeline in the city exploded in early February, after protests broke out in the country. Arish is a major hub where Egypt exports its gas to Jordan and Israel.