AMMAN — Locally produced energy in Jordan, including natural gas, renewables, and oil shale, now accounts for around 25 per cent of the Kingdom’s total energy consumption, up from just 4 per cent in 2010, National Petroleum Company (NPC) Director General Mohammad Khasawneh said.

 

Speaking at a panel organised by the Jordan Economic Forum, Khasawneh projected that domestic gas alone will rise from 6 per cent of total primary energy consumption to over 30 per cent once new pipelines linking the Risha Field to industrial and fertiliser zones in the north and centre are completed.

 

Khasawneh noted that three major factories are already using locally produced gas, cutting their energy costs by 30 to 50 per cent, according to a NPC statement.

 

Speaking at a panel organised by the Jordan Economic Forum, Khasawneh said the success rate of new drilling operations climbed from 25 per cent to more than 73 per cent after advanced geological reassessments and the use of modern technologies, adding that drilling costs have also dropped to around JD 4 million per well, supported by innovative risk management in contracting and procurement.

 

Gas production from the Risha Field increased from 8 million cubic feet per day in 2019 to more than 22 million cubic feet today, with capacity expected to reach 80 million cubic feet per day in the coming years, he said.

 

"National gas consumption is projected to remain around 350 million cubic feet per day until 2030, with domestic gas currently meeting roughly 6 per cent of this demand."

 

Khasawneh noted that the distance between Risha and major consumption centres remains a logistical challenge, requiring over $300 million in investment for new transmission pipelines, an objective NPC aims to achieve through local and international partnerships.

 

He highlighted that NPC is now fully operated by Jordanian expertise, with improved drilling success rates and reduced costs, marking a national milestone in the energy sector.

 

"The company plans to increase production tenfold over the next six years through a comprehensive programme involving 145 new wells, based on detailed geological studies and seismic surveys confirming commercially viable gas reservoirs."

 

"The first phase of this plan began earlier this year, with contracts signed with specialised companies to supply modern drilling and production equipment, Khasawneh added.

 

NPC aims to increase the number of rigs and wells drilled annually, targeting a production capacity exceeding 400 million cubic feet per day, alongside completing the connection between Risha gas and the Arab Gas Pipeline network.

 

A major project under the plan is a nearly 300-kilometre pipeline from Risha to the Khnasry industrial zone in Mafraq, with a transport capacity of 500 million cubic feet per day.

 

NPC Chairman Laith Qasem added that the company has expanded its scope from technical operations to forming partnerships with major industrial players.

 

He said three industrial partners are currently working with NPC to compress and distribute gas to factories, which is expected to reduce industrial energy costs by 40 to 60 per cent and boost competitiveness in international markets.

 

Qasem stressed the importance of developing local industries based on crude gas, noting that countries that successfully transformed their natural resources into economic power invested in downstream industries to create added value and quality jobs.

 

He said that NPC aims for the Risha area to become a hub for Jordan’s gas industry, attracting investors and creating new industrial and export opportunities, adding, "Thanks to recent technical developments and field expansions, the company can now cover 25 per cent of the Kingdom’s natural gas needs."

 

The session concluded with a discussion on the future of local energy and the role of the private sector in utilising national resources. Participants agreed that the Risha Field represents a historic opportunity to restructure Jordan’s energy system and transform it from a burden into a strategic growth driver, provided that efforts ensure efficient and sustainable exploitation of the resource.