Aqaba: The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Thursday signed agreements between the Nippon Jordan Fertilizer Company (NJFC), Jordanian Egyptian Fajr Natural Gas Company (Fajr), and Tanmia Gas Company (Tanmia) to connect and supply natural gas to NJFC’s plant in the southern area of Aqaba.
According to Jordan News Agency, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh, Chairman of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) Mohammed Thneibat, Chairman of the NJFC Faris Qatarneh, and Chairman and CEO of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) Ziad Saaida attended the signing ceremony. Fajr CEO Fouad Rashad, NJFC General Manager Abdel Wahab Rowwad, and Tanmia CEO Mohammad Tarabili signed the agreements.
Kharabsheh noted that the deal will strengthen domestic industry, particularly phosphate-related industries, by lowering energy costs and boosting competitiveness. Through the national program to deliver natural gas to cities and industrial clusters, the ministry aims to ease burdens on manufacturers and support private-sector investors. Natural gas, he highlighted, offers an optimal mix of cost and environmental performance for the industry.
Thneibat mentioned that this agreement marks the second with the ministry, following the first agreement four years ago that secured a sustainable energy source for the phosphate mines. He expressed JPMC’s readiness to cooperate in producing ammonia from Risha gas once transported to Aqaba and extracting sulfur from natural gas.
Rashad emphasized that the agreement will reduce production costs, improve the global competitiveness of Jordanian products, and create jobs. He added that using natural gas as a substitute fuel provides significant environmental benefits and aligns with the Kingdom’s path to achieving net-zero emissions.
Rowwad stated that the agreement includes the installation of a metering unit and a gas line to the plant boundary, supplying 225,000 standard cubic feet of natural gas per day to replace heavy fuel oil in production. He noted that gas-fired equipment requires less maintenance than heavy-fuel systems, reducing downtime and costs while raising productivity.
The agreement is part of ongoing cooperation among the ministry, Fajr, and Tanmia to expand natural-gas supply projects for Jordan’s industrial sector. These projects deliver economic and environmental gains and help reduce unemployment. NJFC produces about 300,000 tonnes annually of compound fertilizers and diammonium phosphate (DAP). Switching to natural gas will generate direct savings compared with other fuels, strengthening the company’s competitiveness and export capacity.
Tanmia offers economic and technical solutions for connecting and using natural gas as an alternative industrial fuel.