Egypt's Minister of Petroleum Karim Badawy met with TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné in Vienna on Thursday to explore ways to enhance oil and gas production in the Mediterranean and discuss new exploration opportunities. According to a petroleum ministry statement, the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 9th OPEC International Seminar, focused on accelerating output from the North Hamad offshore concession (Bashrush Development Area), jointly operated by TotalEnergies, Eni, and BP. Talks also covered TotalEnergies' interest in acquiring new exploration acreage and participating in upcoming tenders via Egypt's E&P digital platform. Minister Badawy highlighted Egypt's ongoing sector reforms, including new production incentives aimed at encouraging partners to boost drilling and output. He also underscored the ministry's priorities for expanding investment in upstream, petrochemical, and green energy projects. Pouyanné reiterated TotalEnergies' interest in deepening its footprint in Egypt and praised the government's efforts to improve the investment climate. The two sides also reviewed progress on implementing the Host Government Agreement to develop Cyprus's Cronos gas field and connect it to Egyptian infrastructure. The deal, involving Eni and TotalEnergies, supports Egypt's ambition to become a regional energy hub. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to advancing energy security, sustainable growth, and continued strategic cooperation across the oil and gas value chain. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
