CAIRO, July 31, 2018 (MENA) - An international bid to explore for oil and gas in the Red Sea will be launched by the end of 2018, said Petroleum Minister Tareq el Molla Tuesday. A seismic survey has already been conducted in the area in cooperation with WesternGeco, a geophysical services company, Molla said in a statement. He said his Ministry is working to increase investment opportunities in the petroleum sector. Egypt is eyeing new exploration projects in the Red Sea and West Mediterranean regions, Molla added. According to a ministry statement el Molla held a meeting with the team working on a programme to attract investments in oil exploration and production. The meeting also dealt with a project to create a digital database and an investment map for the available investment opportunities in this field, the statement said.