I believe that Methanex has been on a continuous journey of learning, collaboration, and growth over the past years, and since we started operations in 2011. In Egypt we are a joint venture (JV) of Methanex Corporation, the world’s methanol leader, Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) and Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum partners Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM), Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) and Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO), representing a successful model of partnership that delivers value to our employees, partners, customers, shareholders and the community at large whether on the national level or around our plant in Damietta.

The workforce is the core engine that pushes the propulsion systems of any company to work and actually its role is doubled when it comes to the oil and gas industry due to the people-involved offshore and onshore operations that are more like a naval fleet in a national mission. From this vantage point, Egypt Oil and Gas (EOG) was keen to shed the light on the human element while Egypt is celebrating the Labors’ Day on May 1st and conducted this interview.

Many companies around the globe have had to transition to new methods of operation in order to comply with social distancing and COVID rules as a result of the global pandemic. Workers in the oil and gas industry believe that the events of 2020 have now ushered in a new standard for the industry, with 86% claiming that this is the current case or will be in the immediate future.

The world has passed through an unprecedented challenging time as a result of Covid-19. It had a negative impact on most of the industrial sectors, particularly the oil and gas sector. This pushed many companies to rethink about how to improve their performance to keep their long-term sustainability as well as manage their workforce. The Human Resources (HR) department is the key player in this regard.

The US and China, two of the most economically powerful countries in the world, have been going head to head over the years. Under the Trump administration, the US-China ties have been greatly impaired on many fronts, however, now under the recently-elected US President Joe Biden's administration, both sides came back to the table for discussions on the climate issue, which raises the questions if a joint climate action can bring back the relations to normal or rather deepen the tension and further complicate the climate crisis.

In the world of exploration and production (E&P), new technologies are always on the rise looking for a way to maximize hydrocarbon production with efficiency. Remote sensing techniques have been used in the oil and gas industry for quite some time, but not as extensive as geological and/or geophysical surveys. A new study presented by Reza Taheri, Assistant Instructional Professor at the University of Wyoming, and Alan Tait, Adjunct Research Fellow, at the University of Monash, provides a new remote sensing technique, specifically Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), to be used in hydrocarbon production.

Methanex Egypt has been running a robust social responsibility program since the company began operations in Damietta in 2011. Over the years, the company has been committed to making a difference to its neighboring communities, through a focus on social investment in health, education, empowerment, and training. In 2019, Methanex decided to do a shift in the way it approached social responsibility to ensure more mature initiatives are implemented that can help build a more sustainable future for the community.

Responsibility is key and the starting point for all our activities: we act with care, think long-term and create value for ourselves and for society.

When the oil and gas industry says that we’re part of the solution to the global need to transition to lower carbon energy sources, we mean it, and we evidence it with our actions. However, many people automatically dismiss anything coming from our industry, or label it “greenwashing”. Others have bigger concerns on their mind. According to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, poverty alleviation, improving healthcare systems, and closing the economic and social divide are just some of the issues that people believe need urgent action. And these are all issues that don’t have much to do with oil and gas, right? Well, I disagree.

On the occasion of the Women International Day in March, Egypt Oil & Gas (EOG) Committee caught this opportunity for launching its first edition of the “She is Energy” webinar, on March 29, under the patronage and with the participation of Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla. The event aimed to highlight the impact of women’s inclusion in the oil and gas sector and how to empower them, especially in the leading positions. A number of oil and gas leaders along with the minister participated in the panel discussion. The webinar was organized by EOG Newspaper, supported by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and sponsored by ENAP.