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Gas and renewables energy like solar and wind power could be a winning combination for Jordan and other countries in the region, Shell EP International has said.
At a Middle East Power Summit held in Amman last week, Mounir Bouaziz, Shell’s vice president of commercial and country chairman for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, highlighted the importance of natural gas to the region.
Bouaziz said that investing in Jordan’s natural gas reserves can help the country, heavily dependent on imported fuel, to diversify its energy mix and reduce CO2 emissions in the long term.
“Despite ongoing progress on developing its oil shale resources that are currently being explored by the Jordan Oil Shale Company, in the short and medium term, Jordan is expected to import liquefied natural gas as a bridge fuel to satisfy growing energy needs,” the press release quoted him as saying.
According to the World Energy Council, Jordan currently imports over 90% of its energy requirements while it is estimated to hold the 8th largest oil shale resources in the world.
By 2020 the country expects to meet 33% of its energy needs from natural gas, while reducing its reliance on imports to 61% according to Jordan’s 2007 national energy strategy.
