Israeli Natural Gas Exports to Egypt Drop 23% Amid Maintenance Operations

Israel has cut natural gas exports to Egypt by roughly 23%, bringing daily shipments down to 850 million cubic feet, according to government sources who requested anonymity. The reduction stems from maintenance activities currently underway at the Tamar and Leviathan fields in the Mediterranean, with work expected to conclude within less than a week.

The Israeli Ministry of Energy acknowledged the maintenance operations, characterizing them as routine procedures necessary for the upkeep of complex engineering infrastructure. Officials noted that maintenance on the platform was approved for a duration of less than a week following a request from the field operator.

The timing of these maintenance activities comes as Israel and Egypt have substantially expanded their energy partnership. Last August, NewMed Energy, which holds stakes in the Leviathan field, finalized an amended agreement with Egypt's Ocean Energy company that significantly increases the volume of natural gas exports and extends the supply arrangement through 2040.

Under the revised terms, the agreement incorporates an additional 4.6 trillion cubic feet—equivalent to 130 billion cubic meters—of natural gas. This expansion occurs in two phases: an immediate phase providing approximately 706 billion cubic feet upon the amendment's implementation, followed by a conditional phase allowing exports of up to 3.9 trillion cubic feet contingent upon meeting specific investment requirements and expanding gas transportation infrastructure. The extended contract runs until 2040 or until the supplementary gas volume is depleted, whichever occurs first.

Egypt faces a persistent energy supply challenge. The country's current natural gas production averages 4 billion cubic feet daily, falling short of domestic consumption estimated at 6.2 billion cubic feet per day—a figure that climbs to 7.2 billion cubic feet during summer months when power generation demands surge. To bridge this gap, Egypt has increasingly relied on importing liquefied natural gas.

Looking ahead, Egyptian authorities have set an ambitious target to raise domestic gas production to 6.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, representing approximately 65% growth from present levels. As part of this strategy, Egypt intends to drill 14 exploratory wells in the Mediterranean during 2026 to evaluate reserves estimated at roughly 12 trillion cubic feet.