Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi emphasized that workforce development is pivotal to the petroleum sector’s success and urged continued prioritization of occupational health and safety in the sector.

This came during the general assembly meeting of the Egyptian Petroleum Services Company (EPSCO) to discuss and review its fiscal year results in 2024.

Badawi pointed out the country’s current goals to unify procurement sources to reduce governmental costs. He directed EPSCO to cooperate with entities including the Egyptian Unified Procurement Authority to review contracts and devise financial improvement plans. He also directed the need to recruit female technical workers, aligning with equal opportunity and diversity principles.

In this regard, the Chairman, Ahmed Shehata, confirmed that EPSCO provides a technical and non-technical workforce for different petroleum sites, in addition to supply services, transportation of workers and petroleum materials, and providing support services for drilling, exploration, maintenance, and marketing operations.

During 2024, the company conducted 12 safety awareness sessions, 168 inspection tours, and eight trial drills in this field, said Shehata.

He pointed out that EPSCO successfully recorded zero workplace injuries and secured environmental approval for the biological treatment process of the wastewater associated with drilling operations.

Thus, the company conducted 22 environmental monitoring operations at West Port Said plant by the Environmental Affairs Agency, the Ministry of Health, and the MK Wastewater Treatment Plant, and treated 720,000 cubic meters of wastewater associated with drilling operations, he explained.

Notably, EPSCO provides workers to 44 petroleum sector companies, with GUPCO accounting for the largest share of the workforce, followed by Khalda. It also conducted training programs for more than 400 workers, Shehata added.