Karim Badawi, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and Expro, the international energy services company, met to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in drilling services and technological solutions for the oil and gas industry. The company was represented by Hussein Elsisi, MENA Vice President at Expro, and Ossama Amin, the company’s CEO for the East Mediterranean and South Gulf region.

During the meeting, Badawi shed light on the distinctive capabilities in Egypt’s oil and gas sector and its geographical location, which qualifies it to become a launchpad for companies looking to expand their activities in the region. He noted that the petroleum sector is currently intensifying its exploration and prospecting activities to make new discoveries that expand reserves and production, and reduce the import bill.

The minister added that advanced technologies are the main catalyst for unlocking full production potential, in addition to stimulating investments in exploration activities and improving reservoir management.

Badawi also highlighted the state’s interest in a strategic cooperation with Cyprus to attract Cypriot natural gas for liquefaction at Egyptian facilities and then re-export it.

For his part, Elsisi said that his company has been using Egypt as launchpad for its operations in the region since last April, expanding into Libya and Oman, and soon in Cyprus and Greece. He also expressed the company’s ambition to increase its participation in the strategic projects currently carried out by the Egyptian petroleum sector.

In February 2025, Egypt and Cyprus signed an agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop Cypriot natural gas discoveries using Egypt’s existing infrastructure. The agreements were concluded on the sidelines of the EGYPES 2025 conference. Under the deal, gas from the Cronos field will be transported to Egypt, processed at the Zohr facilities, and then liquefied at the Damietta LNG plant for export to European markets. The MoU covers gas from the Aphrodite field, which is expected to help bolster Egypt’s natural gas supplies and support the country’s rising energy demand.