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Eni Wins 2 Blocks Outright in Egypt Oil and Gas Exploration Round

Flames shoot out of a chimney at Petroleum and Natural Gas company factories by a salt lake at the Wadi al-Qamar (Moon Valley) along a highway of Alexandria, Egypt December 6, 2020. (Reuters)
Flames shoot out of a chimney at Petroleum and Natural Gas company factories by a salt lake at the Wadi al-Qamar (Moon Valley) along a highway of Alexandria, Egypt December 6, 2020. (Reuters)
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Eni Wins 2 Blocks Outright in Egypt Oil and Gas Exploration Round

Flames shoot out of a chimney at Petroleum and Natural Gas company factories by a salt lake at the Wadi al-Qamar (Moon Valley) along a highway of Alexandria, Egypt December 6, 2020. (Reuters)
Flames shoot out of a chimney at Petroleum and Natural Gas company factories by a salt lake at the Wadi al-Qamar (Moon Valley) along a highway of Alexandria, Egypt December 6, 2020. (Reuters)

Italy's Eni was the big winner in an Egyptian auction for oil and gas exploration rights on Tuesday, securing concessions for two of the four blocks outright, according to results from the petroleum ministry.

The company also won a third block with BP and QatarEnergy in the Mediterranean Sea, while Russia's Zarubezhneft was awarded a block in the Nile Delta.

Zarubezhneft's win is a rare expansion abroad by a Russian company since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Zarubezhneft already operates in seven countries, including Egypt where it is a party to production sharing agreements at offshore blocks.

Zarubezhneft declined to comment further.

Egypt, which faces growing demand for gas from its population of 105 million, has been trying to position itself as a regional energy hub, selling its own gas and re-exporting Israeli gas as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

However, the country faced some power cuts in the summer and its natural gas production has fallen to a three-year low.

The government in July announced the start of a $1.8 billion program to drill natural gas exploration wells in the Mediterranean Sea and Nile Delta.

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Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
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Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports soared to a two-year high in May, reaching SAR 28.89 billion (USD 7.70 billion), marking an 8.2% year-on-year increase compared to May 2023.

On a monthly basis, non-oil exports surged by 26.93% from April.

This growth contributed to Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, reaching SAR 34.5 billion (USD 9.1 billion) in May, following 18 months of decline.

The enhancement of the non-oil private sector remains a key focus for Saudi Arabia as it continues its efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues.

In 2023, non-oil activities in Saudi Arabia contributed 50% to the country’s real GDP, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s analysis of data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan emphasized at the “Future Investment Initiative” in October that the Kingdom is now prioritizing the development of the non-oil sector over GDP figures, in line with its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

A report by Moody’s highlighted Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to transform its economic structure, reduce dependency on oil, and boost non-oil sectors such as industry, tourism, and real estate.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics’ monthly report on international trade noted a 5.8% growth in merchandise exports in May compared to the same period last year, driven by a 4.9% increase in oil exports, which totaled SAR 75.9 billion in May 2024.

The change reflects movements in global oil prices, while production levels remained steady at under 9 million barrels per day since the OPEC+ alliance began a voluntary reduction in crude supply to maintain prices. Production is set to gradually increase starting in early October.

On a monthly basis, merchandise exports rose by 3.3% from April to May, supported by a 26.9% increase in non-oil exports. This rise was bolstered by a surge in re-exports, which reached SAR 10.2 billion, the highest level for this category since 2017.

The share of oil exports in total exports declined to 72.4% in May from 73% in the same month last year.

Moreover, the value of re-exported goods increased by 33.9% during the same period.