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Ammon News - During its meeting, headed by MP Talal Ensour, the Lower House Energy Committee reviewed reality of the Kingdom's fuel reserves and stages of oil and gas exploration in Jordan.

At the meeting held Sunday, which was attended by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Kharabsheh, Ensour stressed importance of Jordan's bid to search for alternatives and "safe and sustainable" energy sources to avoid any sudden disruption, amid the region's current circumstances.

Ensour said: "We realize the additional challenges imposed on Jordan's strategic plans and their sustainability. We are watching with concern the possibilities of what the Kingdom's energy sector may be exposed to due to the gas agreement with the Israeli side."

He also noted Israel was prompted to halt energy production in several regions, which would have a possible impact on Jordan's energy sector.

For his part, Kharabsheh referred to Jordan's Energy Sector Strategy that depends on ensuring energy security, stressing success of government efforts in diversifying energy imports.

Kharabsheh said Jordan has a "safe strategic" oil reserve sufficient for about 60 days, adding that the Kingdom is prepared for any sudden disruption in the gas supply, as the ministry is making "remarkable" efforts to search for energy alternatives.

Additionally, Kharabsheh noted more than 14 memorandum of understanding (MoU) were signed in the fields of oil, mineral and energy exploration, and thousands of samples were collected within 22 months, indicating that this work requires "long" periods ranging between 10 and 14 years.

"We will put Jordan on the global mining map, as we move forward in this field as quickly as possible by entrusting the ministry's workers carry out exploration work before attracting international companies," according to the minister.

He added: "We have equipment and rigs searching for oil in a number of the Kingdom's regions, especially Azraq district, at depths of up to 3,000 metres."

The ministry, he noted, does not grant oil and energy exploration tenders to international companies, which lack capabilities or financial solvency, over concerns of their inability to finish or complete the operations.

He noted: "We welcome any efforts, companies, or local consortium in the various fields of energy, especially in the areas of exploration for safe energy sources."

The minister also announced that there is no intention to lease a new vessel to store gas, when the current floating ship contract expires, indicating that tenders will soon be floated to establish a fixed facility on shore.

Petra