Algeria could send six shipments of gas to Egypt next summer, according to Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry website.

Egyptian oil minister Sherif Ismail is meeting Algerian Minister of Energy Dr Youcef Yousfi, the former Algerian Prime Minister, in Algiers to discuss a contract for 850,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), said a statement on the ministry site yesterday.

Due to be delivered from April to September, Egypt’s ministry said the gas will support “the needs the electricity sector during the next summer”.

The ministers are also to mull over more cooperation in oil and gas, such as starting a joint company to explore and drill crude oil and natural gas in both countries.

Talks on more gas export deals for 2016 to 2020 will begin in January in Cairo, the ministry reported.