Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla met with Julie Cerqueira, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs at the US Department of Energy (DOE), and her accompanying delegation.

The meeting discussed ways to support and increase cooperation and the strategic partnership between Egypt and the US, especially in the field of energy transition, reducing emissions, providing expertise and modern technologies to capture and store carbon and reduce methane emissions.

During the meeting, El Molla stated that the petroleum sector is looking forward to benefiting from the expertise and technologies provided by research in the US to its partners in the “zero emissions” initiative. He emphasized Egypt’s commitment to various international treaties aimed at preserving the environment and reducing emissions

The minister indicated that the petroleum sector is currently implementing several projects to reduce emissions at various work sites in cooperation with foreign companies, including several US companies. El Molla added that the sector aims to expand the activity of supplying aircraft with clean fuel and producing it in Egypt.

El Molla said that Egypt aims to increase reliance on renewable energy, which contributes to achieving the goals of the energy transition and also provides great support for value-added industries. He referred to the initiatives of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) to reduce emissions and supply ships with liquefied natural gas (LNG), which aims to make the East Mediterranean region a role model in reducing emissions and preserving the environment, in addition to transforming the region into a global LNG center.

For her part, Cerqueira affirmed her country’s full support for the energy sector in Egypt and efforts to reduce emissions in the various petroleum sector facilities. She emphasized that the US Trade and Development Agency provides feasibility studies for projects related to reducing emissions and that US companies are fully prepared to supply components of emissions reduction units to Egypt.

Cerqueira pointed out that a delegation from a team of scientists working in US emission reduction technology laboratories is expected to visit Egypt and meet with work teams in ministries concerned with emissions reduction efforts.