Jordan, US sign $771m natural gas deal

Jordan's Arab Potash Company signed a 771 million U.S. dollars agreement with U.S.-based Nobel Energy to provide the potash company with natural gas. The supply of natural gas is expected to start early 2016, the Jordanian company said in a statement on Wednesday. Under the 15-year agreement, the U.S. company, which is a partner in Tamar's gas field in Israel, will provide natural gas to the Jordanian company through a pipeline. The deal will reduce the company's production costs, enhance its competitiveness in the global market and its profitability, improve the prospects for future growth and expansion, and help protect the job security of the company's employees who number more than 2,000, Jamal Sarayreh, the potash company's chairman, said in the statement. This contract represents meaningful action to help improve our competitive position," said Sarayreh. Arab Potash Company General Manager Brent Heimann said the shift from heavy fuel to the less expensive and more eco-friendly natural gas is projected to produce total cost savings of 235 million dinars, or average savings of 11 dinars per ton of potash produced. Arab Potash Company's contract is the second natural gas agreement in the region involving Noble Energy, a world leader in oil and natural gas exploration and production. In January 2014, Noble Energy signed an agreement with the Palestine Power Generating Company for the supply of natural gas.