Karim Badawi, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, met with a high-level Shell Global delegation to discuss the latest developments in Shell’s natural gas investments in Egypt, particularly in the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) concession area. The meeting followed up on the results of Phases 10 and 11 of the gas production project, with the commencement of initial production from Phase 11. Both parties also discussed expansion plans, including the launch of new production phases in the region and the exploration of further promising natural gas potential.
The meeting was attended by Cederic Cremers, Executive Vice President of Shell’s Integrated Gas Business, and Dalia Elgabry, Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Egypt, in the presence of Azza Shelbaya, Head of Corporate Relations at Shell Egypt.
Badawi affirmed the Egyptian government and political leadership’s commitment to fully cooperating with oil and gas production partners and fostering an attractive investment climate to boost local production. He explained that Egypt prioritizes enhancing its role as a regional energy hub and achieving regional integration with Cyprus in utilizing gas resources. This includes receiving gas from Cypriot fields like Aphrodite and Cronos, transporting it to Egypt via its advanced infrastructure. This is within Egypt’s successful cooperation with the Cypriot Ministry of Energy and joint investments between partners in both countries.
For his part, Cremers stated that Egypt holds promising opportunities in natural gas production.
Both parties explored opportunities for cooperation to develop the Cypriot Aphrodite gas field, where Shell and its partners are investing, intending to transport its output to Egypt. The Idku liquified natural gas (LNG) plant was highlighted as a prime example of a successful partnership between the petroleum sector and Shell, and a cornerstone of Egypt’s success in becoming a regional energy hub.
Shell has been partnering with Egypt for over 110 years, during which it supported the country in monetizing its natural resources. This involvement spans the entire oil and gas value chain: upstream, midstream, and downstream.
