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Shell Announces Discovery of New Gas-Bearing Reservoir in Egypt

An offshore gas platform. (Reuters)
An offshore gas platform. (Reuters)
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Shell Announces Discovery of New Gas-Bearing Reservoir in Egypt

An offshore gas platform. (Reuters)
An offshore gas platform. (Reuters)

Shell Egypt announced it discovered a new gas-bearing reservoir in the Northeast el-Amriya block in Egypt’s Mediterranean Sea.

The company said in a press release that it has “safely and successfully completed the drilling of the first well in its three-well exploration campaign, Mina West, located in the Northeast el-Amriya block, in the Mediterranean Sea.”

Shell indicated that drilling activities occurred at a water depth of around 250 meters below sea level in the offshore Nile Delta, with primary data confirming the presence of a gas-bearing reservoir.

“Further evaluation of the acquired data is required to determine the size and recoverable potential of the discovery.”

Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Egypt Khaled Kacem said the discovery is an important step forward for Shell Egypt, “bolstering our growth aspirations and ongoing commitment as a critical partner in Egypt’s energy landscape.”

“Successful delivery of our current exploration campaign is part of Shell Egypt’s growth strategy. Shell, together with its partners, will continue to work towards safely and efficiently reaching the development phase of the block,” he added.

In September, Shell signed a Farm-Out Agreement (FOA) with Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), under which KUFPEC acquired a 40 percent stake in Northeast el-Amriya block, with Shell holding the remaining 60 percent stake of the partner’s share with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS).

Shell had contracted the Stena Drilling for Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), Stena Forth rig, to carry out the drilling campaign.

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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.