Syria has officially submitted a request to Egypt to increase its quota of natural gas supplied via the Arab Gas Pipeline in order to satisfy its energy needs over the coming period, according to Saeed Abdallah, ُEgyptian Deputy Minister of Trade. The Syrian quota currently stands at 2.5 million square meters. Abdallah said that the Ministry of Petroleum is in the process of examining the Syrian request, adding that the amount and price have yet to be discussed. Meanwhile, data released by the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company has revealed that 913 million square meters of natural gas were supplied to Syria during the fiscal year 2009/2010, which is a 228 percent increase from the previous year. A senior official at the General Petroleum Authority (GPA) said that Syria has been paying regularly for the Egyptian natural gas exports. According to the GPA, the price of Egyptian natural gas exports to Syria in the fiscal year 2008/2009 was estimated at US$3.12 per million thermal unit, including transportation and delivery costs. An agreement signed between Egypt and Syria stipulates that Egypt should pump 2.5 million square meters of natural gas per day to Syria. This amount should gradually increase to 6 million square meters per day in 2013, according to the Syrian petroleum minister. The Arab Gas Pipeline is 1250 kilometers long, 554 kilometers are located in Syria. The line extends from Arish, Egypt to Aqaba, Jordan. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
