Neptune Energy, DEA bid for Edison's oil and gas assets - sources - REUTERS

JANUARY 25, 2019 / 4:18 PM

By Shadia Nasralla, Ron Bousso and Clara Denina

LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Private-equity backed Neptune Energy and Germany’s DEA are bidding for the oil and gas assets in Egypt, Italy and elsewhere being sold by EDF’s Italian unit Edison, industry sources said on Friday.

EGYPT PULSE Is new energy league an alliance against Ankara? - AL MONITOR

January 24, 2019
Mohamed Saied 

CAIRO — A new eastern Mediterranean alliance that includes Israel is moving to take advantage of the energy-rich region, which has natural gas reserves estimated at 122 trillion cubic feet (3.45 trillion cubic meters). Some observers say the coalition also wants to counter any efforts Turkey might make to control energy sources in the region.

The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum announced Jan. 14 that six countries and the Palestinian Authority (PA) had agreed to establish the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), with Cairo as its headquarters. The presidents of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece had held a trilateral summit Oct. 10 on the Greek island of Crete during which they agreed to establish the forum.

Turkey began its first oil and gas exploration off the coast of Antalya by launching the drilling ship Fatih on Oct. 29.

Natural gas fields give Israel a regional political boost - THE WASHINGTON POST / ASSOCIATED PRESS

January 23 at 2:50 AM
Aron Heller

JERUSALEM — A decade after discovering natural gas fields off its Mediterranean coast, Israel is starting to feel the geopolitical boost.

Its newfound riches have fostered economic bonds with its neighbors, tightening relations with Arab allies, and built new bridges in a historically hostile region — even without significant progress being made toward peace with the Palestinians.

Last week’s inclusion of Israel into the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum in Cairo — a consortium aiming to cut infrastructure costs and lower prices — marked the first time Arab countries accepted Israel into such a regional alliance, sparking excitement in the country that its long-held hope of finally also making “economic peace” with Egypt and Jordan was fast approaching.

“I think this is the most significant economic cooperation between Egypt and Israel since the signing of the peace treaty 40 years ago,” Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told The Associated Press during his visit. “The discovery of significant gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean has also political value because it brings all of us ... together to cooperate with each other.”

Dana Gas to invest USD 5 bn in Egypt in the coming few years - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 23 January 2019

INVESTMENT WATCH- Dana Gas to invest USD 5 bn in Egypt in the coming few years:Speaking of foreign players that have been vocal about dues owed by the government: Dana Gas is planning on increasing its investments in Egypt by USD 5 bn “over the coming few years,” CEO Patrick Allman-Ward said at a meeting with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly at the World Economic Forum. The investment will see the UAE-based company expand its exploration operations in Egypt, he added. The company has invested USD 2 bn in Egypt since 2007, he noted.

Paying off arrears pays off: Allman-Ward made sure to thank the Egyptian government for its efforts in paying off arrears owed to the company. This is a far cry from 2016, when Dana Gas said it was reevaluating its investments in Egypt in light of the government owing it USD 242 mn. The government slashed arrears down to USD 199 mn with a USD 35 mn payment earlier this month.

More good news for the energy sector and FDI watchers: Foreign players are expected to invest USD 10 bn FY2019-20 in oil and gas E&P, Oil Minister Tarek El Molla told local press. Dues to foreign energy companies fell to USD 1.2 bn and are expected to be completely paid by the end of this year, he said.

An end to flaring? Egyptian oil companies use associated gas for power - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 21 January 2019

Two Egyptian oil companies are bucking the industry trend of flaring associated gas by using it for power generation instead, an Oil Ministry source said, according to Youm7. 

Dana Petroleum-EGPC JV Petro Kareem and Vegas-EGPC JV Petro Amir began a project last March to process gas produced at oil fields either for on-site electricity or for the national grid. Fields operated by the companies produce 55 tonnes of gas and 112 tonnes of condensates, along with 10 mcf/d of gas worth around USD 27 mn. Egypt, which is the 11th biggest gas-flaring country in the world, is a signatory to a global initiative aimed at ending routine gas flaring by 2030.

Western Burullus production, Eni drilling at Zohr and EGAS exports - ENTERPRISE

Sunday, 20 January 2019

Natural gas production from the Mediterranean’s western Burullus field will begin in 2020, according to an Oil Ministry statement.

Italy’s Eni is expected to finish drilling the 14th well at Zohr natural gas field by the end of January, an EGAS source tells Al Shorouk. The company is currently drilling 12 wells to increase the field’s well count to 20, which is projected to increase production to 3 bcf/d by the end of 2019.

EGAS has exported around 80 bcf of gas in FY2017-18, exported in 10 shipments, according to a report by the company picked up by Al Shorouk. Egypt’s total production of natural gas reached 2.1 tcf in FY2017-18, with an average output rate of 5.8 bcf/d.

Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum a powerful new global player - THE ARAB WEEKLY

EU Commissioner for Energy Miguel Arias Canete (C) visits the Zohr
gas field facilities in April 2018

Sunday 20/01/2019

Amr Emam

The EMGF creates a “systematic dialogue” between producers and consumers on gas policies.

CAIRO - A planned Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum is expected to expand cooperation between natural gas producers and consumers in the region, creating a powerful global energy player and potentially providing Europe with an alternative supply of gas.

“This is particularly true with major producers in the region agreeing to join hands in maximising benefits from new finds,” said oil and gas expert Ramadan Abul Ela. “Regional discoveries will change the international map of energy supply but this will materialise only when producers join hands.”

The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) was announced January 14 in Cairo at a meeting of energy ministers from Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

The forum, with headquarters in Cairo, is planned to ease exploitation of Eastern Mediterranean gas reserves to further economic development in the region.

“The forum will support producing countries by enhancing their cooperation with consumer and transitory parties in the region,” a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum said. “It will take advantage of existing infrastructure and develop further infrastructure options to accommodate current and future discoveries.”