Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to attracting new investments into the oil and gas sector and accelerating infrastructure development during a tour of several strategic projects in Beheira on Saturday. The visit included inspections of natural gas production facilities in the Deepwater West Delta area, the International Coastal Road development project, and Edku International Park. During his visit to the Deepwater West Delta gas production sites operated by Rashid Petroleum Company, Madbouly stressed that the petroleum sector remains a national priority. He noted that the government continues to introduce incentives and facilitative measures aimed at encouraging international energy companies to expand their investments in exploration and production activities. “Egypt is committed to creating an attractive investment environment for global energy companies and maximising the benefits of the country’s advanced energy infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen its position as a regional energy hub,” Madbouly said. The prime minister was accompanied by Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi, senior petroleum sector officials, and representatives of major international partners, including Shell, Malaysia’s Petronas, and Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC). During a briefing at Rashid Petroleum’s headquarters, Badawi described the Deepwater West Delta region as one of Egypt’s most important natural gas production areas in the Mediterranean and a successful model of cooperation between the Egyptian petroleum sector and international investors. He said that a combination of investment incentives, regulatory reforms, and the state’s programme to settle outstanding dues owed to foreign partners—which reached zero on 10 June—has significantly boosted investor confidence and accelerated development activities. According to the minister, development phases 10 and 11 in the Deepwater West Delta area were completed in 2024 and 2025, adding new production capacity that has helped support domestic gas supplies and offset natural production decline. Badawi added that Egypt’s extensive natural gas infrastructure provides a significant competitive advantage by reducing development costs and enabling the rapid integration of new discoveries into the production network. He also announced that the West Mina gas field in the Mediterranean is scheduled to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2026, with an initial target output of 160 million cubic feet per day following the completion of tie-in works. The prime minister also met executives from major international energy companies to discuss current operations and future investment plans in Egypt. Dalia El-Gabry, Chairperson and Managing Director of Shell Egypt, highlighted the company’s presence in the country for more than 110 years. She noted that Shell’s activities include deepwater gas production in the West Delta region, exploration activities in the Nile Delta and Herodotus Basin, LNG operations at the Idku liquefaction complex, and lubricants manufacturing. El-Gabry reaffirmed Shell’s commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum and its partners to develop strategic energy assets and support Egypt’s energy security objectives. Petronas Egypt President Hany Essmat outlined the company’s role as a partner in offshore gas production projects in the West Delta and the Idku LNG complex, expressing interest in expanding investments in Egypt’s growing gas sector. Meanwhile, Abdulaziz Al-Mousawi, Regional Manager of KUFPEC, reviewed the company’s investment portfolio in Egypt, including projects in the Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean gas developments. He highlighted KUFPEC’s participation in the West Mina field and welcomed the anticipated start of production later this year. Representatives of the international companies praised Egypt’s decision to fully settle outstanding payments owed to foreign partners, describing it as a strong signal of confidence and an important step towards enhancing the country’s investment climate. Madbouly later inspected the main control room at Rashid Petroleum’s gas reception and processing facility, where he was briefed on operations related to receiving offshore gas, processing output, and feeding supplies into the national gas grid. He also met young engineers and technical teams, thanking them for managing strategic infrastructure that plays a vital role in securing energy supplies for millions of Egyptians. As part of the tour, the prime minister reviewed progress on the International Coastal Road development project, one of Egypt’s largest transport infrastructure initiatives. The 800-kilometre highway stretches from Port Said to Salloum and serves as a key corridor linking Mediterranean ports, including Port Said, Damietta, Alexandria, and Gargoub. The road passes through seven governorates and supports numerous industrial zones and new urban communities, including New Damietta, New Mansoura, and New Rashid. Officials said ongoing upgrades are aimed at increasing capacity, improving traffic safety, and facilitating freight movement through the introduction of dedicated concrete lanes for heavy trucks. Madbouly also visited Edku International Park, a development project established through joint funding from the European Union and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Built on an area of 10,500 square metres, the park serves as a community hub offering cultural, educational, recreational, and sports activities. The prime minister stressed that investing in children and young people is central to Egypt’s human development strategy. The park currently hosts a wide range of summer activities, including robotics, digital technology, clean energy, arts, reading challenges, handicrafts, and sports programmes designed to nurture creativity and develop future skills. During his tour of the facility, Madbouly interacted with students participating in robotics, drawing, reading, and handicraft workshops, praising their enthusiasm and encouraging them to continue developing their talents as part of Egypt’s broader vision for sustainable development and innovation. The post Madbouly inspects strategic gas projects, infrastructure developments during Beheira tour first appeared on Dailynewsegypt.
