Karim Badawi, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, announced that 2026 will witness the country’s largest-ever gas drilling program in the Mediterranean, marking a significant expansion of offshore exploration and production activity.
The statement was made during an inspection visit to the STENA ICEMAX drillship, where drilling operations have commenced at the first production well in the West Meina field, located in the North East Amriya offshore region. Initial production from West Meina is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, with expected output of approximately 160 million cubic feet of gas per day, in addition to around 1,900 barrels per day of condensates.
According to the Ministry, the program reflects the impact of recent investment incentive measures aimed at restoring investor confidence and accelerating upstream activity. The initiative forms part of Egypt’s broader strategy to increase domestic production, reduce reliance on imports, and secure natural gas supplies for the local market.
Shell is operating the West Meina development with a 60% stake, while Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) holds the remaining 40%. The wells will be tied into existing infrastructure at the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) area to optimize production efficiency.
Shell’s current four-well program in the Mediterranean includes West Meina-1 and West Meina-2 in North East Amriya, in addition to the “Sirius” exploration well targeting shallower reservoirs and the “Philox” well in the North Cleopatra area of the Herodotus Basin. These exploratory efforts aim to evaluate new gas-bearing structures and expand Egypt’s offshore resource base.
The Ministry stated that 2026 will see record drilling activity across multiple production areas, positioning the Mediterranean as a central pillar in Egypt’s medium-term energy supply strategy.
