During his visit to the Zohr natural gas field site north of Port Said, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inspected the “Saipem 10000” drilling rig, accompanied by Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi. Madbouly and Badawi were welcomed by Francesco Gasparri, the General Manager of Eni, and Martina Opizzi, Head of Eni’s North Africa and Levant Region.

Madbouly was briefed by the drilling rig’s company representative about the advanced specifications of the “Saipem 10000” rig, highlighting its ability to reach significant depths, which facilitates drilling tasks.

The company representative explained the rig’s load capacity, noting that the rig provides ample space to accommodate the required equipment and tasks needed to complete the drilling process, thus saving both effort and time.

The representative also highlighted the capabilities of the electrical system that operates the rig, emphasizing that it enables the rig to operate under various weather conditions. Furthermore, he mentioned the rig’s important technology that controls pressure conditions within the wells during the drilling process.

The prime minister explained that this visit to inspect the Saipem 10000 Zohr drilling rig comes after its return to the site at the end of last January and as a signal to resume drilling and exploration work in the field.

Madbouly noted that the visit also comes within the framework of following up on the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources to increase oil and gas production rates at various sites according to the plans set in cooperation with international partners, with the aim of providing the energy needs of citizens and various state sectors.

During the inspection, Badawi indicated that the return of the drilling rig would contribute to the resumption of drilling operations for new wells at the Zohr field site using modern technology in deep waters in the field’s concession area. These activities also aim to accelerate the addition of new quantities to production immediately after the completion of drilling operations.

Badawi added that the return of the driller to the Zohr field was the culmination of the efforts of the petroleum sector, which has been working hard over the past six months within the new government’s work program to drive the wheel of production by focusing on research, exploration, development and production activities and accelerating them at maximum speed.

The Minister continued that these efforts have begun to bear fruit, as the petroleum sector has witnessed positive indicators in production and research rates.

Meanwhile, Gasparri gave a presentation about Eni’s operations in Egypt. He provided detailed information on Eni and its long-standing partnership with Egypt. Gasparri also referred to the significant discoveries made by the company including Zohr field in 2015, and its ongoing activities.

Gasparri emphasized that 2025 would be a key year for the company’s operations in Egypt, highlighting the number of exploration licenses granted to Eni for oil and gas exploration, detailing which of these licenses are currently operational. He also shared that production had begun in many of the company’s concession areas.

Additionally, Gasparri discussed the quantities of gas produced by Eni during 2024, stating that these quantities have significantly supported the local electricity grid’s needs.

Gasparri highlighted Eni’s reliance on Egyptian human resources in its operations within the Egyptian market, with the company providing over 21,000 job opportunities, including for contractors and service providers, confirming Eni’s collaboration with local suppliers and service providers in Egypt.

Moreover, Gasparri reviewed Eni’s sustainability efforts, pointing out the company’s involvement in various sustainability projects and its intention to continue these initiatives in the coming years.

Gasparri mentioned the company’s participation in a range of development projects in the fields of health, education, and agriculture, as well as its efforts to reduce carbon emissions from its projects.

Finally, Gasparri expressed Eni’s desire to continue its cooperation with the Egyptian government. He commended the Egyptian government for its efforts to develop the petroleum sector, noting the sector’s advanced infrastructure. He also thanked the Egyptian government for its commitment to settling the dues of foreign partners.