The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) is planning to launch an oil and gas exploration tender before the end of 2017, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla told Amwal Al Ghad.

El Molla has also announced plans regarding the signing of contracts with Apache, Shell, and Apex as they were awarded a total of five concessions in the Western Desert. The ministry will also sign a deal with Merlon after obtaining the parliament’s approval on the amendment of the company’s agreement for drilling in Western Desert.

The ministry of petroleum has signed 83 contracts in the past four years, El Molla highlighted, adding that launching more tenders is the ministry’s cornerstone.