Amman: Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh has signed an agreement with Enppi (Engineering for the Petroleum and Process Industries) to prepare tender documents for a natural gas supply project aimed at serving the King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area (KHBTDA) in Mafraq.
According to Jordan News Agency, this initiative aligns with Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision and advances the national program to extend natural gas infrastructure to various industrial cities across the Kingdom. The agreement was finalized during a meeting involving the ministry's project team and KHBTDA representatives, where they reviewed the progress of the national natural gas expansion program. This program includes projects in the King Hussein Development Areas, Al Muwaqar Industrial Estate (MIE), and Al Rawda Industrial Estate.
The ministry's statement highlighted that the project is designed to provide manufacturers with a lower-cost fuel source, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Jordanian industries both domestically and internationally. Additionally, the initiative is expected to create new jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and improve air quality.
Funding for the project is provided by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, following the completion of technical and preparatory studies. The process will encompass the proposed gas pipeline route, an assessment of demand in the King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area, and the necessary approval from the Ministry of Environment to proceed with a comprehensive environmental impact assessment.
The project includes facilities to connect the development area to the Arab Gas Pipeline via a 20-kilometer branch transmission pipeline, along with an integrated pressure reduction and metering station. The appointed consultant's role is to prepare the tender documents, setting the stage for inviting bids from contractors and consultants. This will pave the way for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) phase, with commercial operations expected to commence in 2029.