Petroleum minister: Upper Egypt’s new fuel complex to produce 800,000 tons of gasoline annually

CAIRO – 22 December 2021: Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla said the newly inaugurated gasoline production complex in Assiut seeks to produce 800,000 tons of gasoline annually to contribute to covering the needs of Upper Egypt's governorates.

He made the remarks during the inauguration of a number of developmental projects as well as the gasoline production complex in Upper Egypt with the attendance of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The complex in Assiut aims to reduce dangers and save costs of transporting the petroleum products from the north to the south, Molla said.

The complex also aims at maximizing the utilization of Assiut Oil Refining Company's assets through bumping new investments in Upper Egypt's governorates.

The project will contribute to achieving the sustainable development and improving the quality of life for the Upper Egyptian residents.

The geographical petroleum area in Assiut extends over 1,040 feddans and includes six companies, a refinery, and a refining complex that represents 12% of the refining capacities in Egypt, Molla said.

Molla shed light on the refining strategy for boosting the production of gasoline as part of a project for developing and modernizing the petroleum sector.

He thanked President Sisi for his constant support to the petroleum sector.

Molla reviewed achievements attained in the petroleum sector over the past years, noting that the establishment of Assiut oil refining complex in 1987 which has been expanded in 2002 marks a key stop that the oil field has witnessed.

The minister said that 2001 witnessed the establishment of South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) to be responsible for all oil-related projects in Upper Egypt.

In 2010, a natural gas line has been extended from Beni Suef governorate to Aswan, Molla added.

The gasoline production complex at the Assiut Oil Refining Company in Assiut governorate is one of the state’s strategic projects which comes within the framework of the state’s plans to develop Upper Egypt, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said.

The complex aims at securing gasoline supplies to the people of Upper Egypt’s governorates and saving the cost of gasoline transporting from the existing refineries in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez to the various regions of Upper Egypt, Radi added.

MENA contributed to the reporting.