Egypt and international technology company Honeywell agreed to intensify coordination in the coming period and hold specialized technical meetings between the company and petroleum sector firms to identify priority areas for cooperation in refinery upgrade and emissions monitoring projects to support the modernization of the petroleum sector and improve operational efficiency.

This came during a meeting of Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, with Anant Maheshwari, President of Strategy and President of Global Regions at Honeywell Technologies, on the sidelines of the ADIPEC 2026.

During the meeting, Badawi outlined the ministry’s program to upgrade and modernize oil refineries, which includes six projects with estimated investments of about $4 billion.

He highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation with Honeywell in the  implementation of the program, particularly given the company’s existing work with several Egyptian refineries, including Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) and Alexandria National Refining and Petrochemicals Company (ANRPC).

The program aims to maximize the added value of petroleum feedstocks and increase the production of high-value petroleum products, particularly gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, said Badawi adding that it would help meet a larger share of domestic market demand and reduce the import bill.

In May, Egypt’s ESAF signed an agreement with US-based Honeywell to use its Ecofining technology in the country’s first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project in Alexandria. The project is expected to reduce aviation-related carbon emissions by around 400,000 tons annually and support local SAF production.

Egyptian refineries are currently operating at utilization rates of around 80%, underscoring the importance of adopting modern technologies to improve operational efficiency and production economics, Badawi noted.

The meeting also addressed the introduction of smart control solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) at refineries which aims to optimize operational management, improve energy efficiency, and enhance safety and reliability.

The discussions also covered the petroleum sector’s efforts to meet Egypt’s commitments under the Global Methane Pledge. Badawi stressed the importance of leveraging Honeywell’s advanced solutions to detect and monitor emissions and support the sector’s emissions-reduction targets and environmental sustainability goals.

In the petrochemicals sector, the minister highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation with Honeywell to support the five-year plan of the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM) for 2026–2030. This involves providing advanced technologies and solutions, expanding training programs, transferring expertise, and developing the technical skills of Egyptian engineers to strengthen local capabilities and improve workforce efficiency.