Author: Rigs & Barge World

Abu Qir Fertilizers and Chemical Industries obtained a 15-year license from the Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency to operate a 2.6 megawatt (MW) solar power station, according to a disclosure to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX). Under the self-consumption system, the license means the power generated by the station will be wholly consumed by the company’s production plants. The project is expected to reduce the company’s electricity consumption from the national grid or internal power generators, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. The initiative supports Abu Qir Fertilizers’ sustainability efforts by mitigating environmental impact and reducing its carbon footprint. The…

In his recent interview with Dubai-based Erem Business, Youssef Qablawi, CEO of the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC), was optimistic about plans to award offshore exploration blocks. Syria plans to offer up five blocks in total (MEES, 21 November) and Mr Qablawi says talks with Chevron, TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy are progressing well. The SPC CEO says he intends to meet representatives from QatarEnergy and TotalEnergies to finalize memoranda of understanding (MoU) during Q1. He is hopeful this will lead to full contracts for gas exploration. Officials from Chevron were in Damascus earlier this month for discussions on upstream opportunities. (CONTINUED -…

Iraq’s Nasiriyah and Gharraf natural gas field investment project has entered an advanced implementation stage, with specialized equipment now fully delivered and on-site installation set to begin, according to a statement by the Ministry of Oil. The project is being developed in cooperation with US US-based energy services company, Baker Hughes, in line with directives from Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul-Ghani Al-Sawad. The facility is designed to process around 200 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of natural gas, with initial operations expected to begin in the first quarter (Q1) of 2027.…

Syria is achieving real successes in rebuilding its energy sector after more than a decade of civil war. Foreign partners are in discussions over investing in restoring output at gas fields, and Saudi Arabia’s ADES last week signed an HoA that could result in a sizeable production boost as early as next year (MEES, 12 December). Momentum is building in the gas sector. Gas and electricity imports have increased (MEES, 1 August), and Damascus is now looking to revamp its dilapidated oil refining sector. As well as repairing existing facilities, the Syrian government hopes to attract investment into its first…

Farid Ghazali has taken over as the new Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) for a two-year term starting January 4, 2026, during handover ceremonies in Brazzaville, Congo, according to a statement by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR). The appointment was made by APPO’s Ministerial Council during its 48th ordinary session on November 4, 2025, succeeding Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, whose term ended after leading the organization from 2020 to 2025. Ghazali expressed gratitude to the council for his appointment, congratulated Ibrahim on his achievements, and pledged to continue the organization’s work tirelessly while…

Russia’s pipeline gas shipments to China are set to increase by about 25% this year, as Moscow continues to pivot its energy exports toward Asia, deepening ties with the world’s largest energy consumer,  a source familiar with the data told Reuters. However, the rise in export volumes is not expected to compensate for the sharp drop in revenue following the loss of the European gas market, based on Reuters’ calculations. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Russia has redirected most of its oil exports to India and China after relations with Europe—once its largest commodity market…

Kuwait’s power system will face another difficult year in 2026 as the structural challenges that have bedeviled it over the past decade remain largely unaddressed. The Ministry of Electricity and Water’s (MEWRE) power generation fleet is aging, and with no major capacity additions since 2016, rising demand is taking its toll. Kuwait has been experiencing blackouts for the last two summers and 2026 is unlikely to be any different. And with no sizeable capacity planned for next year, this is set to continue. Despite power demand continuing to increase this year, electricity generation is actually on course to decline by…

Agiba Petroleum Company has achieved its highest crude oil output in three years at around 32,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in December, thanks to the intensified drilling and investments from its Italian partner Eni, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR). The results align with the ministry’s strategy to boost output and exploration in Egypt’s Western Desert through discoveries and advanced seismic surveys. The Iris-1XST discovery well has produced cumulatively two million barrels of oil and 4.8 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas since October 2024. Recent exploitation of the Masajid geological formation in Agiba’s latest two wells yields…

Saipem, the global engineering company, and China’s Offshore Oil Engineering Co (COOEC), have secured a $4 billion offshore engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract from QatarEnergy LNG for the COMP5 package of the North Field Production Sustainability (NFPS) Offshore Compression Complexes project. The award, with Saipem’s share valued at about $3.1 billion, covers two compression complexes to sustain long-term natural gas output from the world’s largest non-associated gas field offshore Qatar, according to a press release by Saipem. Offshore installation work will use Saipem’s Saipem 7000 heavy-lift vessel in 2029 and 2030 under the five-year contract. The North Field…

Today’s release of the Gas Market Review recognises the need for fundamental reform of the east coast gas market to ensure Australian households and industry have access to reliable and affordable gas. Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch confirmed that gas producers support the introduction of a prospective domestic gas reservation scheme linked to new supply, but emphasised that the design and implementation needed careful consideration. “As we said from the outset of this review, a well-designed, prospective reservation policy can provide certainty for gas producers and users to invest with confidence,” she said. “However, a reservation policy alone…