Investigation of Energy Resources and Gas Discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: The Case of People’s Expectations and Social Impacts in Egypt

This study discusses the expected social impacts due to the recent offshore gas findings and development in the Eastern Mediterranean region on human communities in Alexandrian in the North of Egypt. A sample of 401 respondents of ordinary people who are living in the Alexandria governorate were sampled for the study using a convenience non-random sampling approach. The study showed most people are somewhat familiar with the ongoing gas discoveries in the Mediterranean Sea. The study also revealed that the people in Egypt have relatively high expectations from these gas discoveries. The ordinary people in Egypt expected that such discoveries of gas would have many positive and negative social impacts side by side. They expected several social benefits of gas finds such as: the contribution to the diversification of the economy, infrastructural development, expanding social services, improvement of the standard of living, business and investment opportunities, employment.