Egypt's imports of butane gas during the month of December increased by 42,000 tonnes, reaching 235,600 tonnes compared with 193,500 tonnes in December 2016. In December 2017, the consumption of butane gas reached 375,800 tonnes compared with 386,300 tonnes in December 2016, down by 11,000 tonnes. The production of butane gas was stable during December in 2017 and 2016, at 154,000 tonnes.
The government approved three increases in the prices of petroleum products in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Fuel prices rose after the last increase on 29 June 2017, where the price of 80 octane petrol reached EGP 3.65 per litre after it was EGP 2.35. Petrol 90 reached EGP 5 per litre after it was 350 piastres. In addition to that, diesel prices also increased from 235 piastres to EGP3.65 per litre, and from EGP 15 to EGP 30 per cylinder. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources seeks to deliver natural gas to homes throughout Egypt to ease the burden of subsidising butane gas.
Since the beginning of the project in 1980 and until the end of last fiscal year 2016/2017, natural gas delivery rates reached about 8.2m housing units.
Natural gas is a good substitute for butane gas, for which Egypt imports 50% of its needs, which is 4.5m tonnes of gas per year, while producing only 2.3m tonnes. According to previous statements by Mohamed Hassanein Radwan, former undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum for natural gas projects, each consumer with natural gas connected to their home saves the state about $110 on its import bill of butane gas.
