The Arab Gas Pipeline is a feat of engineering at the heart of a supply grid between the key energy-importing states of the Middle East. The infrastructure, however, has faced several structural, logistical and security challenges over the years. Ministers from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan are meeting today to consider the supply of gas through the pipeline to energy-deficit Lebanon, which is undergoing a major economic crisis. We take a look at this critical linchpin of Middle East energy supply and how it helps the energy importers of the region.
The pipeline
The Arab Gas Pipeline originates in Egypt, a significant source of gas supply in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Arab world's most populous country has become a major gas exporting hub in recent years following the discovery of the giant Zohr gas field, which has sparked a race for more resources along the Eastern Mediterranean. The pipeline, which stretches across 1,200 kilometres, snakes through Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. The infrastructure, commissioned in 2003 and built at a cost of $1.2 billion, has faced several challenges in exporting gas.
Supply of gas
Although the pipeline was built to help transport gas, it has proven to be unreliable. Originating in Arish, the largest city on the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, and built to transport an estimated 640 million standard cubic feet per day of fuel, the infrastructure has come under repeated militant attacks, especially the parts that are located close to the Sinai peninsula and Syria. In addition, a shortage of gas in Egypt have also previously disrupted supplies through the pipeline. Today, the pipeline flow of gas is around 70 to 120 million cf/d and supplies only to Jordan.
Egypt-Jordan-Israel
The stretch of pipeline connecting Arish with Jordan's southern Red Sea-facing port city of Aqaba was completed in 2003. The infrastructure, which was built at a cost of $200 million, extends further through the capital Amman and towards El Rehab on the Syrian border. A section of the original source pipeline also extends for 100km under the sea, connecting Sinai with Ashkelon in Israel, meeting half of the country's supply. Israel and Jordan began using the section of the pipeline that passes through their territories last year. Tel Aviv also began exporting gas to Amman as part of a gas supply agreement.
Syria
A 319km section of the Arab Gas Pipeline connects Jordan's El Rehab point with the western city of Homs in Syria. This portion of the infrastructure was completed in 2008 by the Syrian Petroleum Company and a subsidiary of Gazprom. However, it has not proved to be a very reliant carrier of gas. Last year, an explosion on the Syrian section of the Arab Gas Pipeline – which the government said was due to a terrorist attack – caused a blackout across the country.
Lebanon-Turkey-Iraq
The infrastructure was further extended to reach the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. Gas supplies to Lebanon started in October 2009 but have remained suspended following the escalating conflict in Syria. The Syrian section of the pipeline connects to the 460 megawatt Deir Ammar power station, which can run on gas but burns only liquids at the moment. A section of the pipeline was extended from Homs to near Kilis in Turkey in order to provide Europe with an alternative source of supply. The section was built by Czech developer Plynostav. Iraq is also exploring the possibility of importing Egyptian gas through Syria, as it looks for alternatives to buying the fuel from neighbouring Iran. The plan was revived earlier this year following a meeting of the Syrian and Iraqi energy ministers.
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Company%20Profile
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
SPEC%20SHEET
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Joe Root's Test record
Tests: 53; Innings: 98; Not outs: 11; Runs: 4,594; Best score: 254; Average: 52.80; 100s: 11; 50s: 27
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')
Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
