In a further sign of deepening relations in the energy sector, Egypt recorded in March a new record in gas imports from Israel, which in turn boosted their first quarter flows to an all-time high. The record goes in line with Cairo’s efforts to become a regional hub for gas trade as well as Tel Aviv’s plans to take advantage of its thirst for gas to increase exports. But it remains to be seen to what extent the flow can continue to increase rapidly.

According to recent data from the weekly newsletter the Middle East Economic Survey, Egypt imported in March 720 million cubic feet per day from Israel, equivalent to over 20 million cubic meters per day. This figure raised average first-quarter imports to a record 554 million cubic feet per day, or around 15.6 million cubic meters per day. And in turn, Egypt accounted for an all-time high 26.5% of Israel’s gas output during the same period, MEES reported.

The significant increase in Egypt’s gas imports from Israel is primarily the result of the coming into play of the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP), which connects Egypt with Jordan at the Red Sea and then extends to Syria and Lebanon. Initially built to export Egyptian gas, Cairo is now receiving Israeli gas from this infrastructure, to which Israel has access through a pipeline that connects its own national transmission system to the AGP in northern Jordan.

“That Egypt is taking record volumes of Israeli gas is expected, although the current levels are higher than the contractual volumes. Egypt is looking to maintain LNG [liquefied natural gas] exports, and importing Israeli gas is an important aspect of that,” Peter Stevenson, the Eastern Mediterranean editor at MEES, told Al-Monitor.