Egypt announced on Monday the arrival of the drilling ship Valaris DS‑12 to its territorial waters in the Mediterranean. The ship will start a new phase of gas exploration, with plans to drill four wells for BP and Arkeos Energy.
The program begins with one production well and one exploration well for BP. After that, two exploration wells will be drilled for Arkeos Energy, a joint venture between BP and ADNOC of the United Arab Emirates. Officials said this reflects growing confidence from major international partners in Egypt’s energy sector. They pointed to recent incentives by the Ministry of Petroleum that encourage investment and expansion in exploration and production.
The ministry said it is working with partners on an ambitious plan for 2026. The goal is to drill more than 100 exploration wells, along with development wells in existing fields. This will help maximize Egypt’s oil and gas resources and lead to new discoveries that strengthen production capacity.
Exploration activity is seen as the cornerstone of Egypt’s strategy to achieve steady growth in local output. Officials expect this to bring a major shift in the next five years, supporting energy security and economic growth.
