The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) has signed an agreement with Saudi company Ardiseis, a subsidiary of Arabian Geophysical and Surveying Company (Argas), to conduct an expanded 2D seismic survey across 110,000 square kilometers (km²) of the Western Desert, equivalent to approximately 11% of the country’s total area, to improve exploration data and attract further oil and gas investments.
The agreement was signed by Salah Abdel Kerim, EGPC CEO, and Sameh Saeed, Ardiseis Regional Director in Egypt, in the presence of Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The Ardiseis survey focuses specifically on oil and gas exploration, using 2D seismic technology.
The seismic acquisition program will cover several concession areas across Matrouh and New Valley governorates, including areas that have not received sufficient seismic coverage or require updated geological data.
Badawi said the project would provide an advanced seismic database to improve understanding of subsurface geological structures, identify promising hydrocarbon prospects, and reduce exploration risks. More accurate seismic information is expected to help companies make better-informed decisions on investment allocation and drilling locations.
The minister added that the agreement supports the exploration-intensive component of the Ministry’s five-year strategy, which aims to expand exploration activities, identify new opportunities, and increase domestic production.
He also highlighted Ardiseis’ previous experience conducting seismic surveys in the West Assiut area, describing the results of that work as encouraging for the implementation of the new program.
The agreement reflects growing Egyptian-Saudi cooperation in the petroleum and natural gas sector, Badawi said, acknowledging the support of Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman in strengthening joint investment opportunities.
The agreement is part of a broader effort to expand seismic coverage across Egypt’s underexplored basins and improve the quality of geological information available to potential investors.
This is not the first cooperation between Egypt and the Saudi company. In 2025, Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) signed an agreement with the Egyptian Branch of Ardiseis to deploy advanced land node technology to conduct a 2D seismic survey across the Southern Western Desert. The initiative underscores the growing strategic partnership between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the petroleum and mining sectors.
In May 2026, Egypt signed an agreement with Spain’s Xcalibur Smart Mapping to conduct an airborne geophysical survey covering six areas across the Eastern Desert, Western Desert, Sinai, and Bahariya Oasis-Abu Tartur region. The campaign uses aircraft-mounted sensors to collect geological data, supporting the mapping of mineral resources and helping identify potential exploration targets.
