The five-year-long agreement on the supply of petroleum products with Saudi Aramco is still valid and has not been canceled, said Tariq al-Molla, Minister of Petroleum, on Tuesday, but Egypt has alternatives available if Saudi oil supplies are interrupted. The minister's comments follow reports that Saudi Aramco had indicated delays in the supply of refined oil products to Egypt in October. Government sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Tuesday that Egypt could meet its domestic needs by resorting to other markets, including the UAE, if Saudi Aramco decided to halt supplies of oil products. The sources pointed out that Saudi Aramco has not yet informed Egypt whether November supplies of refined oil products will be dispatched on time. "If an Aramco delay in providing petroleum products recurrs, Egypt will resort to the international market and tenders... as was the case before the Aramco agreement," Molla said on Tuesday.

Source: Egypt Independent October 25, 2016 12:45 UTC