Cairo — Egypt is advancing its natural gas infrastructure with the trial operation of new expansions at the Western Desert Gas Complex operated by the Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO), according to an official statement by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Egypt.
During an inspection visit, Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi confirmed that the latest expansion—represented by the fourth production line (Train D)—adds 600 million cubic feet per day, increasing total processing capacity to 1.5 billion cubic feet daily. Initial operations have already exceeded 500 million cubic feet per day.
Officials stated that the project enhances Egypt’s ability to process higher volumes of gas from Western Desert fields and the Raven gas field in the Mediterranean, supporting domestic supply while maximizing high-value derivatives such as ethane, propane, and butane—key inputs for petrochemical industries.
As The Middle East Observer notes, the expansion aligns with Egypt’s broader strategy to localize petrochemical production, reduce import dependency, and strengthen value-added industrial output, in coordination with national entities such as Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company.
The Middle East Observer further observes that the project—executed by national firms including ENPPI and Petrojet—reflects Egypt’s ongoing push to scale energy infrastructure, improve efficiency, and position itself as a regional energy and petrochemical hub.
