Jordan's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, announced today, Wednesday, that there are positive indicators for discovering gas in the Kingdom, in quantities that could meet the country’s needs for decades. This statement coincides with the government’s plan to expand exploration and drilling operations.
Al-Kharabsheh said in a press conference, "The results of gas exploration are very positive, and studies of proven reserves are in their final stages, with the existing quantities sufficient to cover the needs of the electricity system for decades." He added that "this year, 10 new gas wells will be drilled."
The Risha field is the only gas-producing field in Jordan, having recorded production of about 40 million cubic feet per day in 2023. The Jordanian government intends to drill 18 wells over the years 2024-2025 to increase production from the field, including 10 wells by the Kuwaiti Drilling Company and 8 by the National Petroleum Company.
During a press conference held in partnership with the spokesperson for the Jordanian government, Muhannad Al-Mubaidien, Al-Kharabsheh mentioned that final studies are currently being conducted to confirm the quantities of gas reserves present in these discoveries. He refused to discuss details about the new electricity tariffs, the energy sector strategy for the years (2020-2030), or the Ministry of Energy’s efforts in mineral and natural resource exploration, and he noted that they were waiting for confirmation of the figures’ accuracy.
Al-Kharabsheh had previously emphasized the importance of increasing gas production from the Risha field, stating Jordan is sparing no effort in this matter. He said, "Regarding plans to increase production from the Risha gas field, the estimated quantities of natural gas available and accessible from the field are 31 million cubic feet per day."
He explained that the strategic plan for the National Petroleum Company aims to raise gas production to 50 million cubic feet per day by the end of 2024 as a first phase, with a target of reaching 200 million cubic feet per day of gas by the end of 2030. The plan aims to increase the contribution of local production, achieve energy supply security, and reduce dependency on imports, according to the strategic energy sector plan in Jordan.
