(Ecofin Agency) - Four international contractors are interested in providing Egypt with a third floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) following the launching of a tender in June.

According to a Ministry official, the firms include Hoegh of Norway, U.S-based Excelerate Energy, and Norwegian gas shipping company BW Gas. The fourth company was not disclosed.

Once a net energy exporter, Egypt started importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2015 and has hired two FSRUs to assist in preventing the lack of electricity caused by a decline in energy production and rising consumption.

In April of 2015, Hoegh delivered Egypt's first FSRU while BW Gas supplied the second in September of the same year.

“The door to present offers is open until the end of next week so offers can be decided on in the period between the end of August and the beginning of September,” the official said.

State-owned gas company EGAS, through the tender, was searching for an FSRU with a capacity of 750 million cubic feet per day as the shortage of gas in Egypt has caused rationing among other industries that depend on energy, such as steel mills and fertilizer plants. The shortfall also resulted in some output disruption in 2015, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji