Senior petroleum officials outlined plans to boost domestic output, reinforce energy security, attract investment, and maximize natural gas value at the Mediterranean Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (MOC 2026).
Global and local executives highlighted Egypt’s potential as a regional energy hub, citing advanced infrastructure, strategic location, and opportunities in oil, gas, and petrochemicals.
At a session on “Gas in Transition, Salah Abdel Kerim, CEO of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), detailed efforts to make Egypt’s petroleum industry more investor‑friendly, raise production, and narrow the supply gap. He said the government is modernizing operations, easing procedures, and offering incentives to keep pace with global changes and draw international partners with strong capital and technology. The session was moderated by Iman Hill, Managing Director and Country Manager of Vaalco Energy.
Abdel Kerim pointed to a seismic survey covering 110,000 km² in the Western Desert and stressed sustaining output gains while improving refinery efficiency. Planned inspections lifted utilization from 63% to 82%, strengthening domestic supply and cutting imports. He also underscored diversifying import routes via Red Sea and Mediterranean facilities to build resilience against regional and global shocks.
Mahmoud Nagy, the spokesman of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR) and undersecretary for HSE, Energy Efficiency, and Climate, said the energy transition must balance security, sustainability, and affordability. On carbon capture, he noted a shift toward practical projects, with fertilizers identified as a first candidate and storage sites already mapped.
In a session on Mediterranean gas, Samir Raslan, Chairman of the South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Company (Ganope)said only 30% of the region’s potential has been tapped, leaving vast room for exploration. He stressed improving project terms, speeding approvals, and enhancing data quality to attract investment, especially in deepwater fields with high costs.
The petrochemical sector also featured prominently at MOC, where Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM) Chairman Alaa Abdel Fattah unveiled a new roadmap to meet local demand and capture more value from gas. He cited industry indicators: EGP 42 billion in sales, $1.8 billion in exports, and $1.6 billion in added value from converting raw gas into petrochemical products.
