EMG's Egypt-Israel gas pipeline intact - Ampal

TEL AVIV Feb 6 (Reuters) - East Mediterranean Gas Co's (EMG) pipeline from El-Arish, Egypt, to Ashkelon, Israel, is intact and was not damaged by an explosion at a gas metering station in Egypt, Ampal-American Israel Corp said on Sunday.

Ampal, a holding company, has a 12.5 percent interest in EMG.

"The supply of gas to EMG, and therefore to EMG's Israeli clients, has been interrupted by a fire in a facility not related to EMG," Ampal said in a statement. "The gas supply to EMG is expected to resume within a week."

According to EMG, a metering station in a gas pipeline from Egypt to Jordan caught fire. The station is owned and operated by Gasco, the Egyptian gas transport company, which is a subsidiary of EGAS, the Egyptian national gas company and EMG's gas supplier.

Gasco's station is not a part of the EMG pipeline system and is 30 km (18.6 miles) from EMG's site.

"Ampal has been advised by EMG, that due to the fire, EGAS has initiated its standard shut down procedure affecting gas transportation throughout the Sinai Peninsula, including Gasco's pipeline to EMG's site, in order to suffocate the fire in Gasco's Station and cool down the system," the statement said. (Reporting by Tova Cohen; Editing by Robert Birsel)