EL7.AI
CommoditiesMedium•11 November 2026•
5 min read

Gas Supplies to Mopco and Abu Qir Cut 33% as Import Bill Pressures Mount

Key Facts

1Mopco’s gas supplies were cut 33% on November 8, 2026, following an earlier 20% reduction at the start of the month.
2Abu Qir’s gas supplies were cut 33% from midday on November 8, with two of its three plants operating at full capacity on November 9.
3LNG import allocations for fiscal year 2026/27 were about $10.1 billion, against spending of $5.8 billion as of October 6.
4Cyprus expected production from the Cronos field to begin in the first half of 2028.

Misr Fertilizers Production Company (Mopco) confirmed that its gas supplies were cut 33% on November 8, 2026, following an earlier 20% reduction at the start of the month, according to Ahram Online. The disclosure shows the cuts affecting fertilizer producers have widened as Egypt’s gas supplies come under pressure. Mopco did not say the government had issued a direct order for the cut; the company described a change in the gas volumes available to it. It said it was adjusting operations to accommodate the lower allocations while maintaining business continuity. The adjustment puts operational continuity at the center of the company’s response as supply reductions continue.

In a separate disclosure, Abu Qir Fertilizers said its gas supplies were cut 33% from midday Sunday, November 8, after a 20% reduction a week earlier. It added that two of its three plants would operate at full production capacity on November 9. This indicates that the impact of the gas cut did not take the form of a complete shutdown of the company’s plants, as it kept two running at full capacity, according to its disclosure. The company did not specify the operating level of its third plant in the cited disclosure. The two companies’ statements show how production is being adjusted to available gas volumes, without providing further details on the duration of the cuts.

The cuts come as liquefied natural gas imports weigh on Egypt’s energy bill. The Petroleum Ministry estimated LNG import allocations for fiscal year 2026/27 at about $10.1 billion, while spending had reached $5.8 billion as of October 6, according to an analyst cited by Reuters. Spending recorded by that date represents a substantial share of the annual allocation before the fiscal year has ended. Reuters said domestic production had struggled to keep pace with demand growth, and that Egypt relies on domestic and imported gas to generate electricity. In this context, a Reuters report linked the cuts to fertilizer supplies to the need to curb costly LNG imports, while Mopco’s disclosure did not state why supplies were allocated among sectors.

Egypt’s LNG imports reached their highest level since the start of the year in July 2026, before beginning to decline from August, Reuters reported. This trajectory places the industrial supply cuts in the context of imports that climbed to an annual peak and then receded, while gas demand remained above the level domestic production could meet. Reuters also reported that the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation bought 6 high-sulfur fuel oil cargoes for delivery in November and December. The cargoes are part of an increase in imports of cheaper fuels, according to the report. These developments highlight efforts to secure alternatives for energy supplies as the country faces high costs for imported gas.

The potential impact of gas cuts on fertilizer revenues could grow if they persist. Ahram Weekly quoted an analyst as saying Egyptian fertilizer exports generate about $1.5 billion annually and that the cuts could hurt them, particularly if they continue for a long period. This is the analyst’s estimate of a potential impact, not a company announcement of lost export value or the duration of the cuts. Abu Qir’s statement that two plants were operating at full capacity indicates that some production capacity remains in operation, while Mopco’s disclosure gave no figure for its output after the operational adjustments. Assessing the impact depends on how long the cuts last and how they affect production and exports, details not included in either disclosure.

Cairo is also seeking future supplies from Cypriot gas fields, but the pipeline projects do not offer an immediate solution to the current cuts. Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry said on October 20 that the financial, commercial and regulatory frameworks needed to advance the connection of the Aphrodite field to Egyptian infrastructure were still being finalized. On October 8, the ministry had set out the project’s next steps: a decision to purchase long-lead equipment, followed by a final investment decision and then the start of implementation. Cyprus’s energy minister told the Associated Press that a final decision by the Chevron-led joint venture to develop Aphrodite was expected in the summer of 2027. The field is planned to connect directly to Egyptian facilities to meet domestic needs, but the announced timeline puts the final decision more than half a year after the fertilizer supply cuts.

Timelines for Cypriot fields vary: Cyprus expected production from the Cronos field to begin in the first half of 2028, with gas transported by pipeline to Egypt’s Damietta liquefaction and export facility. Cronos reserves exceed 3 trillion cubic feet, according to the Associated Press. Although the agreement directs the gas to Europe, it includes a provision allowing about one-fifth of the volume to cover part of Egypt’s domestic needs, the agency reported. Aphrodite’s reserves are estimated at about 5.6 trillion cubic feet, and its development remains tied to a final investment decision and the frameworks needed for the connection. Those future supplies remain contingent on procurement, investment and implementation stages, while fertilizer companies are dealing with the current supply cuts.