Total mulls expanding exploration in Mediterranean and Red Seas - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 13 June 2019

French energy giant Total is considering bidding for new oil and gas exploration concessions in Egypt’s Mediterranean and Red Sea territories, chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne told Oil Minister Tarek El Molla in a meeting yesterday, Al Shorouk reports. 

The company is also looking at increasing investments in expanding fuel stations and fuel transportation.

EGAS to auction up to 11 gas exploration blocks in Egypt’s West Med by 1Q2020 - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 30 May 2019

EGAS plans fresh WestMed gas exploration tender: The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) plans to put some 11 natural gas exploration blocks in the western Mediterranean up for auction by 1Q2020, a source from the company told Al Shorouk. EGAS has finalized studies and seismic scans, and is waiting for the Oil Ministry to make a final decision on the timeline and the number of concessions on offer.

The great gas rush of 2019: The ministry in February handed five gas exploration concessions in the Mediterranean and Nile Delta to Shell, Eni, BP, DEA and Petronas in the largest bid round in the state gas company’s history. A month later, the South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) launched a tender for 10 oil and gas exploration blocks off Egypt’s Red Sea coast. It remains unclear when the ministry will announce the winning companies.

Egypt’s natgas regulator to begin issuing licenses to private sector - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Natgas regulator to begin issuing licenses to private sector: The Natural Gas Regulatory Authority will reportedly begin issuing this month private sector gas import and distribution licenses, almost a year after it said it’s open for requests, a source from the Oil Ministry said, according to Al Shorouk. 

Licenses will come at a cost of EGP 50k alongside an EGP 500k deposit. News came after the regulator, which was made responsible last year licensing under the Natural Gas Act, postponed its first issuance in September, saying the private sector was “unprepared.” 

The authority is handling requests from at least 14 companies, including Rosneft. It also set fees last year for the private sector’s use of the state’s natgas grid.

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.

Egypt, Jordan amend natgas supply agreements as El Sisi visits Amman - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 14 January 2019

Egypt, Jordan amend natgas supply agreements: Oil Minister Tarek El Molla and his Jordanian counterpart Hala Zawati signed agreements amending prior natural gas purchase and sale agreements and MoUs, according to Al Shorouk. No details were provided as to what the amendments entail. Egypt began exporting natural gas to Jordan last September under a supply resumption agreement providing as much as 10% of Amman’s natural gas needs. Zawati later said her country is planning to increase the amount to eventually cover a third of the kingdom’s demand.

This comes as President Abdel Fattah El Sisi held talks yesterday with Jordan’s King Abdullah II during a short visit to Amman, according to an Ittihadiya statement. The two discussed natural gas exports to Jordan and the Palestinian peace process, as well as bilateral ties, countering terrorism, Syria, Libya, and Yemen.

Eni starts drilling two new wells at Zohr - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 22 October 2018

Italy’s Eni began started drilling two additional wells at the offshore Zohr natural gas field as it prepares to raise output to its 2.7 bcf/d plateau next year, an unnamed source from EGAS tells Al Shorouk. 

The addition brings the total number of wells in the project to 13. Sources said that work on them should be complete within a month and will determine how many other wells Eni will need to drill to hits its target. 

Eni had announced plans earlier this month to increase its investments in the Zohr gas field to USD 16 bn, up from USD 12 bn, by the time it completes the field’s development in July 2019. Production from the field hit 2 bcf/d last month.

SDX, BP fail to reach agreement on Egypt assets - ENTERPRISE

Sunday, 21 October 2018

BP talks to sell Egypt assets to SDX fail. SDX Energy has “terminated” talks to acquire BP’s Egypt assets after failing to reach an agreement, the company said in a statement on Thursday (pdf). SDX gave no color on why the talks broke down. SDX Energy announced last month that it was in open talks with BP to acquire “a significant package of [its] assets in Egypt.” It was not not immediately clear which assets SDX hoped to acquire, but the company said the transaction would take the form of a reverse takeover, allowing SDX entry to the London Stock Exchange’s main market. BP had been said to be shopping for buyers since at least March as part of a plan to sell USD 2-3 bn’s worth of maturing assets this year.

BP isn’t exiting Egypt: The global oil major plans to invest USD 2 bn in Egypt next year, BP North Africa Regional President Hesham Mekawi told Al Shorouk in an interview last month. Among the assets in which it is investing is its Raven field, which is part of its West Nile concessions in Fayoum and Giza. The Raven gas field is expected to come online in 2H2019, a source from the Oil Ministry official told Youm7 on Thursday. Production is expected to reach 350 mcf/d of gas.

Natgas market regulator to officially begin issuing import permits - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 5 July 2018

Natgas market deregulation gets in full swing as regulator to officially begin issuing import permits: The board of directors of the new natural gas market regulator approved that it begin issuing and revoking licenses for private sector natural gas industry players, according to an Oil Ministry statement. The regulator — established under the Natural Gas Act, which deregulated the market and opened it up to the private sector — will begin its work “in the coming period,” according to the statement. Natural gas companies are currently gathering the necessary paperwork to submit their requests for a license to distribute natural gas, ministry sources said, Al Shorouk reports.

UAE’s Mubadala prepares for Egypt oil & gas debut - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 26 April 2018

UAE’s Mubadala looking to acquire 10% Zohr stake next month as it prepares to enter Egyptian market: The Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Petroleum is expected to sign next month the final contracts for its acquisition of a 10% stake in the Zohr gas field from Italy’s Eni, Oil Minister Tarek El Molla said yesterday, Al Shorouk reports. The USD 934 mn agreement, into which Eni entered last month, is still pending regulatory sign off. El Molla said that the procedural review was nearing the end, which means that Mubadala would soon join Rosneft, which bought a 30% stake in Zohr, and BP, which bought a 10% stake from Eni.

Mubadala is preparing a strong Egypt debut this year, CEO Bakheet Al Katheeri reportedly said following a meeting with El Molla. The company plans to enter exploration tenders and invest in oilfield development, according to El Molla. The minister had said last week that the government would issue tenders for 10-11 oil and gas exploration blocks, as well as other drilling tenders in the Red Sea, by the end of 2018. The Oil Ministry is also targeting USD 10 bn in FDI in the sector in FY2018-19, El Molla had also said. A number of IOCs, including Shell and Edison, had announced intentions to expand their Egyptian investments in light of recent discoveries in the East Mediterranean.

US energy firm IPR announces three new oil discoveries - ENTERPRISE

Sunday, 18 March 2018

US energy firm IPR has made two new oil discoveries in the Western Desert’s Ras Qattara concession and a third in the South Disouq concession, IPR Vice President Elsayed Shahin tells Al Shorouk. 

The company, which drilled 23 wells last year, has already begun production on the first two discoveries, according to Shahin.

First private sector LNG import license to be issued at the end of Feb -sources - ENTERPRISE

Tarek El Molla interviewed by CNBC - Feb 2018 Egypt

Thursday, 15 February 2018

New natgas regulator to issue first LNG import license before the end of Feb? The newly-established natural gas market regulator is expected to issue the first LNG import license to the private sector before the end of February, when its board meets for the first time, sources close to the matter tell Al Shorouk. While it remains unclear which company will make the first draw, we had heard last year that EGAS gave BB Energy, Fleet Energy, and Qalaa Holdings’ TAQA Arabia preliminary approval on natural gas import licenses, following the issuance of the Natural Gas Act, which reduces the state’s role to regulator and opens the market to the private sector. Four other unnamed companies are reportedly also seeking import licenses.

Fees for using state infrastructure also to be announced: The board, whose full lineup will be announced next week, will also discuss the fees private sector players will have to pay to use the state’s natural gas grid under the act, the sources also said. News of the meeting comes one day after Ismail Cabinet issued the executive regulations to the Natural Gas Act, officially bringing it into effect. Oil Minister Tarek El Molla, who will chair the board, had previously said that the state will fully exit the market by 2022.

EGAS to issue natural gas exploration tender in 11 blocks before June - ENTERPRISE

Egypt's 2015 Eastern Mediterranean (Onshore & Offshore) Bid Round Results

Tuesday, 6 February 2018

The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) is planning on issuing natural gas exploration tenders in 11 offshore and onshore blocks before June, an unnamed EGAS source tells Al Shorouk. 

EGAS Chairman Osama El Bakly had previously announced the company’s plans to have a bid round for oil and gas exploration in east Mediterranean and onshore Delta blocks in 1H2018, but had not disclosed the number of areas up for exploration.

Egypt’s role indispensible in developing east Med gas hub -Butler - ENTERPRISE /FINANCIAL TIMES / AL SHOROUK

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Egypt can once again become an energy exporter and “build on its existing role as one of the most important trading hubs in the region, ideally placed to link western and eastern markets,” Nick Butler writes for The Financial Times. “Egypt’s opportunity is that it finds itself at the crossroads of the emerging international trade in natural gas,” Butler writes. The potential collaboration on natural gas export between Egypt, Cyprus, Israel, and even potentially from Lebanon leaves Turkey as the loser regionally after having “destroyed its opportunity to provide an export route for gas from Cyprus by trying to link trade to a settlement of the island’s longstanding territorial division.” Butler insists that Egypt’s role will be vital in any major development, saying “in the Middle East nothing is ever simple and there will many a slip before the new pattern of trade is in place. But if the eastern Mediterranean is to be developed, Egypt’s role as the new regional trading hub looks indispensable.”

Aramco likely to begin refining fuel in Egypt in 1Q2018 – officials - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 27 November 2017

Aramco likely to begin refining fuel in Egypt in 1Q2018 -officials: Saudi Aramco is likely to begin refining crude oil in Egyptian refineries in 1Q2018, an official from the Oil Ministry tells Al Shorouk, initially at the Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR). Egypt will receive the 700k tons of fuel per month from Aramco — under the existing five-year fuel supply agreement — for MIDOR’s refineries, with excess output being exported, the official stated. He noted that talks are still ongoing with the Saudi’s largest oil producer. Oil Minister Tarek El Molla had confirmed earlier this month that talks had been taking place with Aramco to refine fuel here and that refining would begin at some point in early 2018. This follows other reports that Aramco had agreed to a plan last month to ship crude through the SUMED pipeline and use Sidi Kerir as a center for exporting refined output to Europe.

Investors to discuss solution for rising natural gas bills for industry with MPs on Tuesday - ENTERPRISE

Gas tanks at Suez city north of Cairo. (Reuters)

Sunday, 19 November 2017

Industrialists to discuss rising natural gas bills with House on Tuesday: A delegation from the Union of Egyptian Investors Association (UEIA) will meet with the House of Representatives’ Industry Committee on Tuesday to discuss challenges they’re facing due to rising natural gas bills, UEIA boss ad Oriental Weavers founder Mohamed Farid Khamis said on Thursday, Al Shorouk reports. 

Natural gas supply has been interrupted at a number of factories that fell behind on bill payments, which they say they are unable to make, Khamis said. We had heard last week that the House was looking into repricing gas for industry and canceling real estate taxes on factories following complaints from industry figures. Egypt’s manufacturing sector has been pushing for years to lower gas prices, but officials had hinted in August that it was unlikely the Ismail Cabinet would follow through on the decision.

Nooros exceeds natural gas production targets - ENTERPRISE

Sunday, 29 October 2017

The Nooros natural gas field daily production capacity reached 1.1 bcf/d, exceeding the targeted 350-400 mfc/d, Oil Minister Tarek El Molla said in a TV interview yesterday, Al Shorouk reports. 

The cost of investment in the gas field, which Italy’s Eni signed the concession for at the 2015 Economic Development Conference, also rounded off to USD 270 mn, below the projected USD 450 mn, El Molla added.

USD 27.3 bn to be invested in gas fields, USD 15.5 bn worth of exploration agreements to be signed next year - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 25 October 2017

USD 27.3 bn to be invested in gas fields next year: Some 230 new wells will be drilled at a cost of USD 2 bn in 2018, while approximately USD 27.3 bn will be invested in the Zohr, North Alexandria, and Nooros fields, Oil Minister Tarek El Molla said yesterday, Al Shorouk reports. 

El Molla also forecasts signing 83 new exploration agreements worth a total of USD 15.5 bn, in addition to USD 3.8 bn worth of new petroleum refining projects. 

Natural gas projects are expected to increase 50% in 2018, with that rate accelerating to 100% by 2020, El Molla said. The minister also announced that the second edition of the Egypt Petroleum Show will kick off on 12 February 2018 to showcase short- and long-term plans in the oil and gas sector.

EGAS to issue new oil and gas exploration tenders in 2018 - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 9 October 2017

EGAS plans to issue new oil and gas exploration tenders in 2018, an unnamed company official tells Al Shorouk.  

We had said last month that EGAS was planning to issue global tenders for the West Mediterranean concession once Norwegian firm PGS releases the results of its seismic survey for the area before the end of FY2017-18.

Learn more about EGAS.

Eni asks to drill its eighth well away from Zohr gas field’s first phase - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

Eni has requested permission from the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) to drill its eighth well in Zohr away from the first phase development area of the gas field to confirm the size of the field’s reserves, Al Shorouk reports. 

EGAS has yet to reach a decision, a source from the regulator said. The Oil Ministry had announced last month that seven of the eight wells were drilled and producing, and that overall work on the field was 83.5% complete as of August. 

Zohr is expected to be fully developed by the end of 2018.

Natural Gas Act regs ready in October - ENTERPRISE / AL SHOROUK

Sunday, 20 August 2017

The executive regulations of the Natural Gas Act should be ready by early October, an EGAS official tells Al Shorouk. 

The source expects the new natural gas industry regulator would be set up before the end of the year — and that the first license to import gas privately should be issued in 1H2018.

As we noted last week, EGAS had reportedly approved natural gas import licenses on Wednesday for the three private companies: 

• Fleet Energy, 
• BB Energy, and 
• Qalaa Holding’s TAQA Arabia.