Jordan is set to import Qatari gas within the next two years, in a bid to alleviate the country's chronic energy woes, officials revealed on Saturday, dpa reported.
In a press conference on Saturday, Jordanian Energy Minister Alaa Batayneh revealed that the country is set to build a terminal in the Red Sea Port City of Aqaba to receive liquid gas by 2014.
The announcement comes days after a visit by an official Qatari delegation to Amman, during which Amman and Doha discussed the scopes of a pending long-term gas deal. According to official sources, the "productive" meeting set a six-month timeline in order to reach a final agreement.
The drive for Qatari gas comes amid ongoing cuts in Jordan's Egyptian gas supplies - the kingdom's primary energy source.
The ongoing disruptions, which cost Jordan some 5 million dollars per day, forced Amman to raise electricity rates as high as 150 per cent across several sectors earlier this month, triggering a wave of nationwide anti-government protests.