Egypt is targeting an additional 250 million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) of natural gas from the Zohr and West Mina fields in the Mediterranean before the end of 2026, alongside 80 mmcf/d from the Meleiha fields in the Western Desert by the end of September, Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, said.
Zohr is Egypt’s largest gas discovery and the Mediterranean’s largest gas field. It is owned by Eni (50%), Rosneft (30%), bP (10%), and Mubadala Energy (10%) and operated by Petrobel, a joint venture between Eni and Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).
The minister made the remarks during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to review the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ (MoPMR) ongoing work and efforts to strengthen domestic oil and gas production.
He highlighted the readiness of Egypt’s natural gas supply system, which helped maintain regular supplies to various consumption sectors, particularly power generation plants and industrial facilities, during the peak of the summer season.
Badawi also said that the completion of payments of outstanding arrears to petroleum-sector partners in June 2026 represented a significant step toward restoring investor confidence and creating a more favorable environment for new investments in exploration, field development, and production.
He added that the ministry is working to increase domestic gas output by developing existing fields, expanding exploration, and accelerating the development and connection of new discoveries to the production network.
The meeting also reviewed developments in petroleum infrastructure, including refinery upgrades, improvements to crude oil and petroleum product transportation networks, expanded storage and trading capacity, and efforts to maximize the utilization of existing production assets.
On the mining sector, Badawi reviewed recent developments aimed at creating new opportunities for global investors. He said Egypt is seeking to broaden its investor base and attract international exploration companies to leverage their expertise and advanced technologies. This approach is intended to help convert the country’s promising geological potential into productive projects and accelerate the transition from investor interest to exploration activities.
The minister also highlighted the continued expansion of natural gas connections to households, which remains a priority for reducing reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders and lowering the import bill. During fiscal year (FY) 2025/26, natural gas was connected to 804,000 housing units, replacing the use of approximately 14 million LPG cylinders, according to the minister.
The meeting reflects the ministry’s broader efforts to strengthen domestic energy supplies while attracting investment and developing Egypt’s petroleum and mining sectors.
