CAIRO, March 13 (Reuters) - Egypt is in talks with

Excelerate Energy ( EE ) for a floating storage and

regasification unit (FSRU) to help ensure steady natural gas

supplies for the Egyptian domestic market, the petroleum

ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Steven Kobos, CEO of Excelerate Energy ( EE ), expressed his

company's readiness to supply the necessary FSRUs to Egypt,

according to the statement.

Excelerate is a U.S. based firm offering downstream LNG

infrastructure and a fleet of 11 FRSUs, according to its

website.

Egypt already has a floating LNG import terminal at Ain

Sokhna and has contracted a second vessel that is due to start

running in mid-2025.

It has been exploring different options for additional gas

facilities amid a chronic gas shortage and higher projected

demand for electricity during the summer.

Kobos also highlighted the potential for increased

collaboration in LNG trading and projects, fuelled by

significant confirmed reserves and new discoveries in the

Eastern Mediterranean.

Egypt and Cyprus signed agreements last month to enable the

export of gas from Cyprus's offshore fields via Egypt as both

countries seek to bolster the Eastern Mediterranean's role as an

energy hub.