Tomorrow, Tuesday, Engineer Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, will inaugurate the Mediterranean Offshore Conference and Exhibition (MOC 2026) at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, running through October 22 under the theme "Egypt: A Key Pillar for Securing Energy in the Mediterranean."
The conference is attended by Michael Damianou, Cypriot Minister of Energy, Engineer Ayman Attia, Governor of Alexandria, leaders of major international energy companies operating in the Mediterranean, heads of petroleum sector companies, and an elite group of experts and specialists.
The opening ceremony will feature keynote addresses by Engineer Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and his Cypriot counterpart, as well as speeches by executives from international companies Chevron, Eni, and TotalEnergies, and the Ambassador of Greece to Cairo.
The inauguration also includes the signing of new agreements with Chevron in the presence of both ministers, aimed at accelerating the connection of the Cypriot Aphrodite natural gas field to Egyptian infrastructure. This represents a new step supporting regional gas cooperation and reinforcing Egypt's position as a regional hub for receiving, trading, and re-exporting gas to global markets.
The Minister and his Cypriot counterpart will participate in a panel discussion on regional energy cooperation, highlighting the importance of integration among East Mediterranean countries, developing cooperation mechanisms to exploit gas resources, enhancing supply security, and leveraging existing infrastructure in the region.
Conference sessions will witness the participation of the chairmen of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (GANOPE), and the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM), alongside CEOs and directors of major international energy companies, to discuss developments in the oil and gas industry, available investment opportunities, and ways to accelerate exploration and production activities in the Mediterranean.
The two ministers will also open the accompanying exhibition, which features major Egyptian and international companies operating in the Mediterranean, providing a platform for networking and showcasing the latest technologies and solutions in exploration, production, and petroleum industries.
Accelerating Exploration and Production, Deploying Modern Technology, and Attracting Investments Top the Conference Agenda
For his part, Dr. Mohamed Radwan, Vice Chairman for Agreements and Exploration at Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company, Manager of the Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG), and Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee, emphasized that MOC 2026—held under the auspices of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources—focuses on three main pillars: accelerating exploration and production in the Mediterranean, deploying modern technology and digital transformation to mitigate risks and costs, and promoting investments and partnerships to attract new companies to Mediterranean gas exploration, thereby supporting energy supplies in the coming years.
He explained that the conference pillars align with the directives of the Ministry, led by Engineer Karim Badawi, to accelerate exploration operations, reduce the timeframe for bringing discoveries on stream, and foster an attractive investment climate characterized by transparency and the availability of geological and technical data, thereby supporting investors' decisions and enhancing opportunities for injecting new investments into exploration and production.
He added that the conference serves as a platform bringing together technical and scientific expertise with investment opportunities through discussions on the application of modern technologies and digital transformation in field operations, as well as the exchange of expertise among government representatives, international oil companies, technology providers, experts, and young talents, ultimately developing the performance of the oil and gas industry and improving operational efficiency.
11 Panel Sessions Bringing Together Petroleum Sector Leaders, International Companies, and Experts
Radwan noted that the conference program includes 11 panel sessions uniting petroleum sector leaders, global companies, and experts. The conference is keen to hold two dedicated sessions—one for university students majoring in petroleum engineering and geology, and another for young talents—in addition to specialized technical sessions, inviting participants to maximize the benefits of this gathering to exchange knowledge, build partnerships, and explore promising opportunities and potential in the Mediterranean to support energy resources.
For his part, Engineer Tamer Idris, Executive Vice President for Production at the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and Chairman of the Conference Technical Committee, explained that the technical program includes 21 sessions held over the second and third days. These will address a range of specialized research papers and case studies highlighting practical experiences and successful technical applications in oil and gas exploration, reservoir management, well drilling and completion, production optimization from mature fields, gas processing and offshore facilities, carbon emissions reduction, digital transformation, refineries, and value-added industries.
He added that the program aims to provide an opportunity for exchanging technical expertise and generalizing successful solutions and applications, supporting operational efficiency, enhancing production rates, reducing costs, and keeping pace with rapid technological advancements in the oil and gas industry, reflecting the Ministry of Petroleum's focus on leveraging technical and technological expertise and applying international best practices across sector activities.
The inaugural edition of the MOC conference was launched in 2000 and is held annually, alternating between Alexandria and the Italian city of Ravenna, establishing itself as one of the premier specialized events on the regional and international energy conference calendar.
