During the CeraWeek 2025 energy conference held in Houston, Texas, Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Kareem Badawy, met with Linda Cook, the CEO of Harbour Energy, to explore opportunities for enhancing bilateral cooperation. The meeting focused on increasing natural gas production from Harbour Energy's operational areas within Egypt, laying the groundwork for future advancements.
Both leaders engaged in discussions surrounding the latest developments related to exploration activities off the coast of Alexandria, which have been promising for natural gas. Harbour Energy, as the partner of British Petroleum (BP), has been actively involved in successful drilling operations aimed at contributing positively to Egypt's natural gas output.
The Minister noted the necessity of advancing development operations for new discoveries swiftly. By connecting these discoveries to existing facilities, the aim is to reduce production costs and maximize output efficiency. "We are committed to providing all forms of support to investors and international companies to create an attractive investment climate," stated Badawy, underscoring the Egyptian government’s dedication to facilitating necessary procedures for increasing production and optimizing the use of petroleum and gas resources.
Significant emphasis was placed on expediting the development of new discoveries to allow for quicker integration with the existing infrastructure. This strategy intends to minimize the time needed to bring new wells online, which is fundamental to enhancing local natural gas production. The discussion also reflected on the work being done to ramp up gas production at the Raven field, again with British Petroleum, demonstrating the collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders aimed at pushing Egypt's energy sector forward.
Both Badawy and Cook expressed optimism about the prospect of increasing Harbour Energy’s investments within Egypt. Their discussions underlined the alignment of Harbour Energy’s corporate strategy with the broader goals of the Egyptian oil and gas ministry, which aims to position the country as a key player within the regional energy market.
"Our relationship with Harbour Energy is strategic, and we look forward to maximizing their operations within Egypt's exploration and field development sectors," Badawy added. His reflections on the promising partnership were echoed by Cook, who emphasized the importance of fostering such cooperative ventures for mutual benefit.
The meeting also highlighted the recent successful exploration activities around the North Mediterranean region, which is garnering significant interest from various stakeholders. With Harbour Energy invested deeply alongside BP, these developments stand to contribute tremendously to Egypt's energy productivity aspirations.
Badawy concluded by reiteratively affirming the government’s commitment to providing the necessary support to investors. Ensuring all parties are aligned through balanced agreements can lead to achieving their mutual interests and enhancing the local energy ecosystem.
Looking to the future, the successful discussions held would not only bolster Harbour's investments but also entail substantive commitments to maximize utilization of the nation’s petroleum and gas resources—essential for supporting Egypt's economic growth and energy independence.