Egypt could replace Qatar as the main supplier of LNG to the UAE and Oman once we reach self-sufficiency by the end of the year, The National’s Jennifer Gnana says. Egypt’s imports of LNG have declined as it increases domestic production, but demand in other countries in the region is expected to continue increasing as LNG “forms part of a critical mix in the drive towards cleaner energy in the GCC.” While Qatar currently supplies its Gulf neighbors with LNG through a pipeline, recent political fallout has pushed the region’s biggest consumers to look elsewhere to supply their consumption. Egypt, “which enjoys warmer political ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, could look to supply its regional neighbors,” particularly when it ramps up production from the Zohr gasfield, Gnana says.