Azernews.Az

Jordan has asked Egypt to increase gas supplies to the country and to ensure their stability, representative of the Ministry of Energy of Jordan Mahmoud al-Ace told Trend news agency on Monday.

"Recently, Egypt often interrupts the gas supply to Jordan. Amman asked Cairo to increase supplies and to ensure their stability," Al-Ace said.

He noted a significant decrease in gas production in Jordan, as well as increasing demand in the domestic market as the main reasons for shortage of gas in Jordan.

According to the official, the Egyptian side intends to respond to the request of Jordan in two weeks. At the same time, Jordan is considering importing liquefied natural gas from Qatar and natural gas from Iraq and Azerbaijan in the future.

Jordan covers about 80 per cent of its gas needs through imports from Egypt. In the past, the Egyptian section of the Pan-Arab gas pipeline has frequently been subjected to terror acts. In February 2011, an explosion rocked the section of pipeline near El Arish. Gas supplies to Israel and Jordan were suspended for more than a month and resumed only on March 16.

According to official data, the loss to Jordan due to short supply of Egyptian gas is about $1 billion per year, but in reality the losses can be much higher, Jordanian Senate Deputy Mustafa Fayyad told Trend earlier.