据天然气工业网站7月20日消息称，埃及石油部长Tarek El Molla周三告诉记者，埃及的目标是在秋季开始的10月份恢复液化天然气出口。

他说，在夏季气温较高的时候，埃及的大部分产量都被国内消费，但冬季有多余的产量可供出口。

El Molla补充说，去年夏季出口增加，因为政府从发电站使用天然气转向使用重油燃料油，以对抗天然气价格的飙升。

他说：“我们出口了更多的天然气，因为我们更多地依赖燃料油，而去年燃料油比天然气便宜，所以进口重油，出口天然气。如今情况正好相反。”

这位部长本月早些时候表示，由于季节性因素，埃及6月份没有出口任何液化天然气，并补充说，预计7月份将有一批出口。

但一些贸易消息人士对路透表示，他们认为6月出货不足是国内产量下降的结果。

埃及是人口最多的阿拉伯国家，一直在寻求将自己定位为地区能源中心，其战略位置是供应本国天然气，并将以色列的天然气以液化天然气的形式再出口到中东、非洲和欧洲。

曹海斌 摘译自 天然气工业 网站

原文如下：

Egypt aims to resume gas exports by October

Egypt is targeting a resumption of liquefied natural gas exports by October at the start of autumn, petroleum minister Tarek El Molla told reporters on Wednesday.

Most of Egypt's production is consumed domestically in the summer when temperatures are high, but there are excess quantities available for export during winter, the minister said.

El Molla added that summer exports increased last year because the government switched from using natural gas in power stations to mazut fuel oil in order to bank on the higher natural gas prices.

"We exported more gas because we relied more on fuel oil which last year was cheaper than natural gas so I'd import mazut and export natural gas," said El Molla. "Today it’s the opposite."

Egypt had not exported any LNG in June because of seasonal factors, the minister said earlier this month, adding that a shipment was expected in July.

Some trading sources have told Reuters they believed the lack of shipments in June was a result of declining domestic production.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, has sought to position itself as a regional energy hub, strategically located to supply its own gas and re-exported Israeli gas as LNG to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.