Hapi_ Engineer Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, announced the readiness of the petroleum sector to launch the first phase of the advanced offshore seismic survey project in Egyptian waters in the Eastern Mediterranean within the next two weeks, covering an area of approximately 18,000 square kilometers using Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) seismic technology. This step aims to enhance natural gas exploration opportunities, provide more accurate geological data to support attracting new investments, and accelerate exploration and research decisions.
The Minister explained that the project represents one of the key pillars for developing exploration activities in Egypt by employing the latest global technologies in data collection and analysis. This contributes to improving the understanding of subsurface geological structures, identifying the most attractive areas for natural gas exploration opportunities, and opening new horizons for international companies to pump more investments into exploration and production activities.
The project is being implemented through the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) in cooperation with the international consortium of "SLB" and "Veridien", as part of an integrated seismic survey program in Egyptian waters in the Eastern Mediterranean targeting a total area of up to 95,000 square kilometers. This will provide an expanded database supporting efforts to evaluate undiscovered hydrocarbon resources and maximize their utilization.
The Minister emphasized that the use of "OBN" technology represents a significant development in marine seismic survey operations and contributes to improving the quality of seismic imaging of geological structures, especially in areas requiring advanced technologies to obtain a clearer picture of the subsurface.
He added that improving data quality is reflected in the accuracy of identifying promising areas and selecting exploratory well drilling locations, helping to lower technical risk levels associated with exploration operations and enhancing the efficiency of directing investments toward the most viable opportunities.
The Minister pointed out that the importance of the project is not limited to collecting seismic data, but extends to transforming this data, after processing and interpretation, into clear investment opportunities that can be presented to international companies based on more accurate technical information. This contributes to supporting investment decisions, encouraging the expansion of exploratory drilling programs, and enhancing the prospects of achieving new discoveries that support domestic natural gas production.
As part of the preparations to commence implementation, the marine operations vessel "Commander" has arrived at the Port of Port Said to be the first vessel participating in the project, to be joined by two other vessels in preparation for starting survey and data collection operations according to the specified executive program.
Operations are scheduled to kick off in the Denis area off Port Said and Ras El Bar, with operations continuing in both areas until the end of 2026, in accordance with the project's time schedule.
In parallel with the launch of the first phase, the consortium is completing the necessary technical and logistical arrangements to continue survey operations throughout 2027, supporting the continuous operation of vessels and marine equipment and contributing to the efficient execution of the program.
