Energy in Egypt
Encyclopedia
Energy in Egypt describes energy
and electricity
production, consumption and import in Egypt
. Energy policy of Egypt describes the energy policy
in the politics of Egypt
more in detail.
Egypt
population
has increased 14.3 % in five years 2004-2009 (OECD/World Bank). Population growth is over 10 millions in 5 years. Energy production was in 2009 36 % more than in 2004.
energy producer. It has the sixth largest proved oil reserves in Africa. Over half of these reserves are offshore reserves. Although Egypt is not a member of OPEC, it is a member of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
.
Commercial quantities of oil were first found in 1908, and more petroleum was found in the late 1930s along the Gulf of Suez
. Later, large oil fields were discovered in the Sinai Peninsula
, the Gulf of Suez, the Western Desert, and the Eastern Desert. The Abu Rudeis and Ra's Sudr oil fields in the Sinai, captured by Israel
in 1967, were returned to Egyptian control in November 1975, and the remaining Sinai oil fields reverted to Egyptian control by the end of April 1982. , Egypt's proven oil reserves were estimated at 3.7 Goilbbl, of which 2.9 Goilbbl was crude oil and 0.8 Goilbbl were natural gas liquids. Oil production in 2005 was 696000 oilbbl/d, (down from 922000 oilbbl/d in 1996), of which crude oil accounted for 554000 oilbbl/d.
Approximately 50% of Egypt's oil production comes from the Gulf of Suez, with the Western Desert, Eastern Desert, and the Sinai Peninsula as country's three other primary producing areas. Domestic consumption was estimated at 564000 oilbbl/d in 2004. Net oil exports in that same year were estimated at 134000 oilbbl/d. The Suez Canal
and the 322 kilometres (200.1 mi) Sumed pipeline
from the Gulf of Suez to the Mediterranean Sea
are two routes for oil from the Persian Gulf
, which makes Egypt a strategic point of interest in world energy markets. Although the Suez Canal Authority
(SCA) has deepened the canal so that it can accommodate the largest bulk freight carriers, the canal was deepened a further 20 metres (65.6 ft) in 2006 to accommodate very large crude carriers (VLCCs).
, Egypt operates nine refineries that are capable of processing crude oil at an estimated rate of 726250 oilbbl/d. The largest refinery is the El-Nasr facility located at Suez. It is able to process 146300 oilbbl/d. The National oil company is the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
.
and offshore from the Nile Delta. Domestic consumption of natural gas has also risen as a result of thermal power plants converting from oil to natural gas. , Egypt's production and consumption of natural gas are each estimated at 941 Gcuft.
Natural gas is exported by the Arab Gas Pipeline
to the Middle East
and in the future potentially to Europe
. When completed, it will have a total length of 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi). Natural gas is exported also as the liquefied natural gas
(LNG). LNG is produced at LNG plants of Egyptian LNG and SEGAS LNG
companies.
resources were discovered in the Safaga-Quseir area of the Eastern Desert
in the 1940s. This area is estimated to have reserves equivalent about 4.5 Moilbbl of in-place shale oil
and the Abu Tartour area of the Western Desert is estimated to have about 1.2 Moilbbl of in-place shale oil. The oil shale in the Red Sea area could be extracted by underground mining. In the Abu Tartour are, oil shale could be mined as byproduct whilst mining for phosphate
s. Oil shale in Egypt is foreseen as a potential fuel for the power generation.
and Alexandria
and generators at Aswan
. In 2006, electricity output was 115 TWh, of which 72% was from gas, 16% from oil and 11% from hydro (mostly from the Aswan High Dam). In 2002, consumption of electricity totaled 75.719 TWh. , total installed capacity was estimated at 18 GW.
A US$239 million electricity network link with Jordan
was completed in 1998. In late 2002 Egypt announced that it would coordinate a regional energy distribution center to coordinate energy distribution among the nations of the region, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria
, Lebanon
, Iraq
, Libya
, Tunisia
, Algeria
, and Morocco
.
Egypt is considering of using a nuclear energy. In 1964, a 150 MWe and in 1974 a 600 MWe nuclear power stations were proposed. The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) was established in 1976, and in 1983 the El Dabaa site on the Mediterranean coast was selected. Egypt's nuclear plans were frozen after the Chernobyl accident. In 2006, Egypt announced it will revive its civilian nuclear power programme, and to build a 1,000 MW nuclear power station at El Dabaa. It estimated to cost US$1.5bn, and it will be constructed in participation of foreign investors. In March 2008, Egypt signed with Russia an agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Egypt has a high solar availability. The total capacity of installed photovoltaic system
s is about 4.5 MWp. They are used in remote areas for water pumping, desalination, rural clinics, telecommunications, rural village electrification, etc. The proposed large scale solar power project Desertec
involves also Egypt. Egypt has also a high potential for wind energy, especially in the Red Sea coast area. , 230 MW of wind energy was installed, with additional 320 MW to be installed by 2009.
In 2009 430MW of wind power were installed, with a target to reach 7200MW by 2020 (12% of national electric capacity installed and contributing to the 20% renewable electricity target by 2020)
World energy resources and consumption
]World energy consumption in 2010: over 5% growthEnergy markets have combined crisis recovery and strong industry dynamism. Energy consumption in the G20 soared by more than 5% in 2010, after the slight decrease of 2009. This strong increase is the result of two converging trends...
and electricity
Electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
production, consumption and import in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Energy policy of Egypt describes the energy policy
Energy policy
Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity has decided to address issues of energy development including energy production, distribution and consumption...
in the politics of Egypt
Politics of Egypt
The government of Egypt, as of February 27, 2011, is a republic currently under military rule of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces after the President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak stepped down following several days of mass protests. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the...
more in detail.
Overview
| Energy in Egypt | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capita | Prim. energy | Production | Export | Electricity | CO2-emission | |
| Million | TWh | TWh | TWh | TWh | Mt | |
| 2004 | 72.64 | 662 | 752 | 71 | 88 | 141 |
| 2007 | 75.47 | 782 | 957 | 153 | 111 | 169 |
| 2008 | 81.51 | 822 | 1,018 | 180 | 116 | 174 |
| 2009 | 83.00 | 837 | 1,026 | 174 | 123 | 175 |
| Change 2004-2009 | 14.3 % | 27 % | 36 % | 145 % | 40 % | 25 % |
| Mtoe = 11.63 TWh, Prim. energy includes energy losses | ||||||
Egypt
Demographics of Egypt
Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and the third-most populous on the African continent . Nearly 100% of the country's 80,810,912 people live in three major regions of the country: Cairo and Alexandria and elsewhere along the banks of the Nile; throughout the Nile delta, which...
population
World population
The world population is the total number of living humans on the planet Earth. As of today, it is estimated to be billion by the United States Census Bureau...
has increased 14.3 % in five years 2004-2009 (OECD/World Bank). Population growth is over 10 millions in 5 years. Energy production was in 2009 36 % more than in 2004.
Crude oil
Egypt is an important non-OPECOPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
energy producer. It has the sixth largest proved oil reserves in Africa. Over half of these reserves are offshore reserves. Although Egypt is not a member of OPEC, it is a member of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries is a multi-governmental organization headquartered in Kuwait which coordinates energy policies between oil–producing Arab nations, and whose main purpose is developmental.-History:...
.
Commercial quantities of oil were first found in 1908, and more petroleum was found in the late 1930s along the Gulf of Suez
Gulf of Suez
The northern end of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula, creating the Gulf of Suez in the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east. The Gulf of Suez is formed within a relatively young, but now inactive rift basin, the Gulf of Suez Rift, dating back about 28 million years...
. Later, large oil fields were discovered in the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
, the Gulf of Suez, the Western Desert, and the Eastern Desert. The Abu Rudeis and Ra's Sudr oil fields in the Sinai, captured by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1967, were returned to Egyptian control in November 1975, and the remaining Sinai oil fields reverted to Egyptian control by the end of April 1982. , Egypt's proven oil reserves were estimated at 3.7 Goilbbl, of which 2.9 Goilbbl was crude oil and 0.8 Goilbbl were natural gas liquids. Oil production in 2005 was 696000 oilbbl/d, (down from 922000 oilbbl/d in 1996), of which crude oil accounted for 554000 oilbbl/d.
Approximately 50% of Egypt's oil production comes from the Gulf of Suez, with the Western Desert, Eastern Desert, and the Sinai Peninsula as country's three other primary producing areas. Domestic consumption was estimated at 564000 oilbbl/d in 2004. Net oil exports in that same year were estimated at 134000 oilbbl/d. The Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and the 322 kilometres (200.1 mi) Sumed pipeline
Sumed pipeline
The Sumed pipeline is an oil pipeline in Egypt, running from the Ain Sukhna terminal on the Gulf of Suez to offshore Sidi Kerir, Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea...
from the Gulf of Suez to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
are two routes for oil from the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, which makes Egypt a strategic point of interest in world energy markets. Although the Suez Canal Authority
Suez Canal Authority
is a state owned authority which owns, operates and maintains the Suez Canal. It was set up by Egypt to replace the Suez Canal Company in the 1950s which resulted in the Suez Crisis...
(SCA) has deepened the canal so that it can accommodate the largest bulk freight carriers, the canal was deepened a further 20 metres (65.6 ft) in 2006 to accommodate very large crude carriers (VLCCs).
, Egypt operates nine refineries that are capable of processing crude oil at an estimated rate of 726250 oilbbl/d. The largest refinery is the El-Nasr facility located at Suez. It is able to process 146300 oilbbl/d. The National oil company is the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation is a national oil company of Egypt. It owns 70% of shares in the Egyptian Natural Gas Company, as well as a 75% stake in the petroleum-industry support airline Petroleum Air Services .It own a stake in the East Mediterranean Gas Company....
.
Natural gas
Major discoveries in the 1990s have given natural gas increasing importance as an energy source. , the country's reserves of natural gas are estimated at 66 Tcuft, which are the third largest in Africa. Probable reserves have been placed at or more than 120 Tcuft. Since the early 1990s, significant deposits of natural gas have been found in the Western Desert, in the Nile DeltaNile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
and offshore from the Nile Delta. Domestic consumption of natural gas has also risen as a result of thermal power plants converting from oil to natural gas. , Egypt's production and consumption of natural gas are each estimated at 941 Gcuft.
Natural gas is exported by the Arab Gas Pipeline
Arab Gas Pipeline
The Arab Gas Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline in the Middle East. It exports Egyptian natural gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, with a separate line to Israel. It has a total length of at a cost of US$1.2 billion.-Arish–Aqaba section:...
to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and in the future potentially to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. When completed, it will have a total length of 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi). Natural gas is exported also as the liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
(LNG). LNG is produced at LNG plants of Egyptian LNG and SEGAS LNG
SEGAS LNG
SEGAS LNG is a liquefied natural gas complex in Damietta, Egypt. It is located west of Port Said. The name SEGAS comes from the Spanish Egyptian Gas Company.-History:...
companies.
Oil shale
Oil shaleOil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
resources were discovered in the Safaga-Quseir area of the Eastern Desert
Eastern Desert
The Eastern Desert is the section of Sahara Desert east of the Nile River, between the river and the Red Sea. It extends from Egypt in the north to Eritrea in the south, and also comprises parts of Sudan and Ethiopia.-Features:...
in the 1940s. This area is estimated to have reserves equivalent about 4.5 Moilbbl of in-place shale oil
Shale oil
Shale oil, known also as kerogen oil or oil-shale oil, is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock into synthetic oil and gas...
and the Abu Tartour area of the Western Desert is estimated to have about 1.2 Moilbbl of in-place shale oil. The oil shale in the Red Sea area could be extracted by underground mining. In the Abu Tartour are, oil shale could be mined as byproduct whilst mining for phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s. Oil shale in Egypt is foreseen as a potential fuel for the power generation.
Electrical power
The Egyptian electric power system is almost entirely integrated, with thermal stations in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and generators at Aswan
Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
. In 2006, electricity output was 115 TWh, of which 72% was from gas, 16% from oil and 11% from hydro (mostly from the Aswan High Dam). In 2002, consumption of electricity totaled 75.719 TWh. , total installed capacity was estimated at 18 GW.
A US$239 million electricity network link with Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
was completed in 1998. In late 2002 Egypt announced that it would coordinate a regional energy distribution center to coordinate energy distribution among the nations of the region, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Egypt is considering of using a nuclear energy. In 1964, a 150 MWe and in 1974 a 600 MWe nuclear power stations were proposed. The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) was established in 1976, and in 1983 the El Dabaa site on the Mediterranean coast was selected. Egypt's nuclear plans were frozen after the Chernobyl accident. In 2006, Egypt announced it will revive its civilian nuclear power programme, and to build a 1,000 MW nuclear power station at El Dabaa. It estimated to cost US$1.5bn, and it will be constructed in participation of foreign investors. In March 2008, Egypt signed with Russia an agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Egypt has a high solar availability. The total capacity of installed photovoltaic system
Photovoltaic system
A photovoltaic system is a system which uses one or more solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity. It consists of multiple components, including the photovoltaic modules, mechanical and electrical connections and mountings and means of regulating and/or modifying the electrical...
s is about 4.5 MWp. They are used in remote areas for water pumping, desalination, rural clinics, telecommunications, rural village electrification, etc. The proposed large scale solar power project Desertec
Desertec
DESERTEC is a concept proposed by the DESERTEC Foundation for making use of solar energy and wind energy. This concept will be implemented in North Africa and the Middle East by the consortium Dii GmbH, formed by a group of European companies and the DESERTEC Foundation...
involves also Egypt. Egypt has also a high potential for wind energy, especially in the Red Sea coast area. , 230 MW of wind energy was installed, with additional 320 MW to be installed by 2009.
In 2009 430MW of wind power were installed, with a target to reach 7200MW by 2020 (12% of national electric capacity installed and contributing to the 20% renewable electricity target by 2020)