Egypt Eager for New Investment Opportunities in Oil, Gas Sectors

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi meets with a delegation from Mubadala Energy led by CEO Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi meets with a delegation from Mubadala Energy led by CEO Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egypt Eager for New Investment Opportunities in Oil, Gas Sectors

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi meets with a delegation from Mubadala Energy led by CEO Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi meets with a delegation from Mubadala Energy led by CEO Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi said on Saturday that Emirati investments in the energy, petroleum, and gas sectors are a key symbol of the distinguished cooperation between the two brotherly nations.

Mubadala Energy, an Emirati company, exemplifies serious collaboration and investment in Egypt, he added.

Badawi welcomed the expansion of Emirati investments in Egypt’s petroleum and mining sectors, especially as new investment opportunities were offered.

He made his remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Mubadala Energy, led by CEO Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed, accompanied by Adnan Buftaim, Executive Vice President for Global Technical Operations, Zayed Al Mazrouei, head of Marketing and Refining, and Salma Al Hajri, Regional Vice President for the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.

The officials reviewed Mubadala’s activities in natural gas exploration in Egypt, highlighting the company’s participation in key areas in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mubadala holds a 10% stake in the Zohr gas field, 20% stake in the Noor gas field, and 27% stake in Block 4 in the Red Sea.

The meeting touched on the recent global bid for natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean and the Nile Delta, launched by the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) in 12 areas.

Mubadala expressed interest in the bid and reviewed the available information through Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG).

Al Hamed underscored the promising opportunities for further expansion, especially given the excellent relations between Egypt and the UAE.

He noted that Mubadala’s partnerships in gas exploration and production in Egypt, alongside international companies, provide a solid foundation for future expansion in other regions.

He also stressed the importance of Mubadala’s involvement in the Arab Petroleum Pipelines Company “SUMED,” which stands as one of the most successful models of Arab cooperation.

He reaffirmed that open dialogue would continue, seeking new ideas for future collaboration.



BP Nears Deals for Oil Fields, Curbs on Gas Flaring in Iraq

British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
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BP Nears Deals for Oil Fields, Curbs on Gas Flaring in Iraq

British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)

Iraq and British oil giant BP are set to finalize a deal by early February to develop four oil fields in Kirkuk and curb gas flaring, Iraqi authorities announced Wednesday.

The mega-project in northern Iraq will include plans to recover flared gas to boost the country's electricity production, they said.

Gas flaring refers to the polluting practice of burning off excess gas during oil drilling. It is cheaper than capturing the associated gas.

The Iraqi government and BP signed a new memorandum of understanding in London late Tuesday, as Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and other senior ministers visit Britain to seal various trade and investment deals.

"The objective is to enhance production and achieve optimal targeted rates of oil and gas output," Sudani's office said in a statement.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani told AFP after the new accord was signed that the project would increase the four oil fields' production to up to 500,000 barrels per day from about 350,000 bpd.

"The agreement commits both parties to sign a contract in the first week of February," he said.

Ghani noted the project will also target gas flaring.

Iraq has the third highest global rate of gas flaring, after Russia and Iran, having flared about 18 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023, according to the World Bank.

The Iraqi government has made eliminating the practice one of its priorities, with plans to curb 80 percent of flared gas by 2026 and to eliminate releases by 2028.

"It's not just a question of investing and increasing oil production... but also gas exploitation. We can no longer tolerate gas flaring, whatever the quantity," Ghani added.

"We need this gas, which Iraq currently imports from neighboring Iran. The government is making serious efforts to put an end to these imports."

Iraq is ultra-dependent on Iranian gas, which covers almost a third of Iraq's energy needs.

However, Teheran regularly cuts off its supply, exacerbating the power shortages that punctuate the daily lives of 45 million Iraqis.

BP is one of the biggest foreign players in Iraq's oil sector, with a history of producing oil in the country dating back to the 1920s when it was still under British mandate.

According to the World Bank, Iraq has 145 billion barrels of proven oil reserves -- among the largest in the world -- amounting to 96 years' worth of production at the current rate.