Oman– The energy sector in Jordan is witnessing a strategic transformation in light of the official efforts aimed at enhancing energy security, as the Kingdom suffers from a significant economic burden due to the energy sector, as Jordan imports 76% of its needs, which costs General budget My 8% syntax gross domestic productBecause of the high oil prices globally, which increases the pressure on the state’s general budget.
The energy sector in Jordan is suffering from challenges such as high oil and gas prices, which contributes to the difficulty of achieving stability in this sector.
In this context, the feather gas field has emerged as a promising source that carries great potentials that may cause a qualitative shift in the Jordanian energy equation. The recent exploration and development work revealed promising gas reserves indicating the possibility of raising the level of local production in a significant manner, which opens the door to a new stage of self -sufficiency And sustainable development.
Promising gas precautions
The feather area, in Mafraq Governorate, northeastern Jordan, specifically on the border with Iraq, is one of the most prominent areas that have begun to gain increasing interest in the energy sector, especially with regard to its natural gas reserves. The feather gas field has witnessed different developments in terms of production and exploration, but recent weeks revealed advanced indicators that enhance its position as a strategic resource for energy in Jordan and the region.
The feather field is one of the oldest invasive fields in Jordan, as it was discovered for the first time in the year 1986 by the Natural Resources Authority, and production began in 1989. According to an official source in the energy sector for Al -Jazeera Net, the quantities discovered in the feather field cover Jordan’s needs – if extracted – for up to 80 years.
The source – who preferred not to be named – confirmed that the discovered quantities are considered commercial, and have been reached with pure Jordanian arms, and will help Jordan to self -reliance in the field of natural gas.
The expansion of geological studies and the use of modern techniques in drilling and exploration – according to observers – showed that there is no exploited reservoirs, preaching a growthable commercial production. The importance of these discoveries is not only limited to its economic dimension, but also extends to the environmental and development dimension, as natural gas contributes to reducing carbon emissions and supporting the trend towards clean energy.
A policy paper issued by the Jordanian Strategies Forum indicated that the development of the feather gas field can cause a major economic shift, and by 2030 it is expected that the field will meet more than 60% of Jordan’s natural gas needs, which may lead to self -sufficiency in the electricity sector and some industries, and reducing dependence on energy imports.
The paper – which the Al -Jazeera Net has seen its details – indicated that the feather field has promising reserves of natural gas, as the current production capacity is about 62 million cubic feet per day, including between 16 and 20 million cubic feet only.
Access to self -sufficiency
On future plans, the Strategies Forum confirmed that it aims to raise the production capacity of natural gas to about 418 million cubic feet per day by 2030, with an annual growth rate of approximately 40% during the period 2025-2030. According to the paper, achieving this goal will enable Jordan to reach the stage of self -sufficiency in the electricity sector and some industries.
The forum also pointed out that the management of the feather gas field efficiently and effectively can be transformed into a strategic lever that supports the national economy, by enhancing value -added exports, providing sustainable job opportunities, and contributing to reducing the trade deficit, in addition to its contribution to generating additional financial revenues for the state treasury, supporting the implementation of development plans and expanding the productive base.
According to the estimates of the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the average gas reserve in the feather field is about 11.99 trillion cubic feet, with the possibility of extracting about 4.675 trillion cubic feet, which represents about 39% of the total reserve. Extractive reserve estimates range from 2.835 trillion cubic feet as a minimum and 6.35 trillion cubic feet as a maximum.
The feather field development plan includes digging 80 wells within 3 years, with partial government funding of 87 million Jordanian dinars, provided that the rest from gas revenue is funded. The National Petroleum Company launched a tender to rehabilitate contractors to dig these wells with the “key delivery” system.
The Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Al -Kharabsheh, discussed with the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, to link the invading feather field in northeastern Jordan to the Arab gas line, through a line of 300 km long. The two sides agreed to hold technical meetings between the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Egyptian General Petroleum Company, with the aim of cooperating in the field of oil and gas exploration in the open areas in Jordan, and benefiting from Egyptian experiences in this field.
Strategic and investment importance
The following points show the strategic and investment importance of the feather field and its direct effects on the Jordanian economy and the energy sector:
- The feather field contributes to reducing Jordan’s dependence on gas imports, which constituted more than 90% of its needs.
- The field supports national energy security by providing a local and sustainable source of natural gas.
- It contributes to reducing the import bill and improving the trade balance.
- It provides job opportunities and contributes to the development of areas surrounding the field.
In turn, economist Hossam Ayesh said that Jordan’s economic problem is the lack of oil and gas and the lack of other natural resources, noting in his talk to Al -Jazeera Net that the energy bill exceeds $ 7 billion annually, as our oil needs and natural gas are secured from various sources.
He pointed out that reaching the commercial production of natural gas from the feather field is an order confirmed by the Minister of Energy personally, and the experiences in Jordan indicate that such assessments are not permanently accurate. He added, adding that these explorer reserves of natural gas can be used to rely on the cost and global prices, which means an important economic and financial transformation for Jordan, in terms of saving in the energy bill of oil and gas, reducing the cost of generating electricity, and securing the needs of the industrial sector and other sectors of gas for the purposes of saving electricity.
Ayesh stressed the necessity of Jordan to rely on safe sources of energy such as the feather gas, explaining that, what the Israeli side recently did to reduce gas exports to Egypt, and therefore it is possible to do the same with Jordan. Accordingly, it is necessary to emphasize that the announcement of these discoveries for natural gas from the feathers field will push the government more to self -reliance, up to budgets without financial deficit, and gradually pay the debt after that, and reduce internal and external borrowing, as well as high capital spending to growth rates that are proportional to Jordan’s developmental needs.