Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi held a series of meetings with senior officials from leading international energy companies on the sidelines of the ninth edition of the Egypt Energy Show, focusing on expanding cooperation and boosting investment in the sector.
BP
In this context, the minister met a high-level delegation from BP, headed by William Lin, Executive Vice President for Gas and Low Carbon Energy, to review progress on ongoing projects and discuss the company’s future expansion plans in exploration, research, and natural gas production.
Badawi said the ministry is implementing a clear strategy to create a more attractive investment environment, praising the constructive cooperation with BP. He added that the state’s commitment to settling partners’ dues by the end of June is aimed at strengthening investor confidence and encouraging international companies to scale up their activities in Egypt.
Lin, for his part, affirmed the company’s pride in its long-standing partnership with Egypt, describing it as resilient despite global challenges. He also highlighted BP’s interest in the ministry’s ambitious programme for comprehensive digital transformation across the sector, as well as its support for efforts to diversify energy sources in line with global trends.
The meeting also underscored the importance of maximising the potential of promising frontier areas. The BP delegation expressed particular interest in developments in the Red Sea, noting that continued government support is key to unlocking new opportunities and achieving shared objectives in securing sustainable energy resources.
Schlumberger
Badawi also held discussions with Olivier Le Peuch, CEO of Schlumberger, on enhancing cooperation in the deployment of horizontal drilling technologies in Egypt. These technologies enable access to oil and gas reserves that are difficult to extract using conventional methods.
The talks also covered expanding the use of advanced technological solutions and artificial intelligence in exploration and production activities. Badawi stressed the importance of leveraging the company’s expertise, particularly in developing new contractual models and offering investment incentives aligned with the expansion of horizontal drilling.
He also commended ongoing joint work in the Red Sea, especially in seismic surveying activities.
Le Peuch emphasised the role of advanced technologies and integrated solutions, including artificial intelligence applications, in improving operational efficiency, mitigating natural production declines, and reducing costs.
United Energy Group
In a separate meeting, the minister met Song Yu, CEO of United Energy Group, along with Kamel El-Sawy, the company’s Regional President for Africa, to review its oil and gas production activities in Egypt’s Western Desert.
The discussions explored opportunities for cooperation between the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and the company—particularly in deploying renewable and green energy solutions. This includes the use of solar energy in operational processes to reduce diesel consumption and improve efficiency.
Company officials expressed appreciation for Egypt’s current investment climate and recent measures aimed at addressing challenges and supporting business activity. They also reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating drilling operations to unlock new reserves and increase production levels.
