Israel starts export of 'surplus' gas to both Egypt, Jordan: ministry

Israel has begun the export of "surplus" gas not needed domestically for export to both Egypt and Jordan, an Israeli energy ministry spokesperson said June 20.

Israel on June 13 ordered the suspension of operations at two of its three offshore gas fields, Leviathan and Karish, with Israeli gas exports to Egypt and Jordan also halted as a result.

But gas supplies from the Tamar field continued for use in the domestic Israeli gas market, with no shortages reported in the country's electricity sector as a result.

The ministry spokesperson said that if there were surplus quantities not needed by the electricity sector at certain hours of the day -- largely due to how the system operates -- those small volumes could be made available for export "as long as all of Israel's domestic needs are fully met."

This has led to the start of exports of surplus gas to both Egypt and Jordan, the spokesperson said.

However, the spokesperson also said June 20 that operations at Leviathan and Karish remained suspended.

This means larger-scale gas exports from Israel to Egypt and Jordan are unlikely.

Israel consumed some 13.9 Bcm of domestically produced gas in 2024, with the power sector accounting for 10.9 Bcm of the total, an increase of 7% compared with 2023.

Egyptian dependence

Egypt, meanwhile, has become reliant on Israeli pipeline gas imports, as well as international LNG imports, amid a slump in its domestic gas production.

Israeli gas exports to Egypt and Jordan rose by 13.3% year over year to 13.2 Bcm, accounting for some 49% of Israeli gas production last year, according to ministry data.

According to the latest data published by the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, Egypt imported some 0.9 Bcm of gas from Israel in March 2025.

On June 13, Egypt's petroleum ministry said that amid a halt in gas supplies from Israel it had activated a previously prepared emergency plan for gas supply priorities.

It is also working to hook up another floating LNG import facility as quickly as possible to raise its capacity for LNG imports.

Egypt's energy minister Karim Badawi called June 19 for technical preparations on the Energos Eskimo FSRU to be completed quickly to enable the vessel to be connected to its berth at the port of Ain Sokhna "within the next few days".

The Energos Eskimo is currently undergoing technical work at Ain Sokhna ahead of its deployment at its berth as part of Cairo's plans to increase the flexibility of the Egyptian gas network.

It comes as spot LNG prices remain high.

Platts, part of Energy, assessed the East Mediterranean LNG marker at $13.83/MMBtu on June 19.