Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi held extensive talks on Tuesday with John J. Christmann, CEO of Apache Corporation, and senior company executives to review exploration and production plans in Egypt’s Western Desert. The meeting focused on accelerating drilling programmes, boosting gas output and expanding seismic surveys to identify new reserves.
Badawi praised Apache’s long-standing record in Egypt and underscored the strategic nature of its partnership with the petroleum sector. He stressed the need to fast-track the current year’s drilling schedule and increase local content in projects, while highlighting the importance of swiftly connecting new discoveries to the national grid to support domestic supply.
Discussions covered Apache’s recent Wanda deep gas discovery, achieved through Khalda Petroleum, with initial production of 40 million cubic feet per day. The minister said rapid integration of such finds into existing infrastructure is a model for reducing costs and timelines.
Talks also addressed upgrading field operations, modernising infrastructure and removing bottlenecks to sustain production in line with Egypt’s five-year plan.
Christmann commended Egypt’s investment climate and the ministry’s measures to settle partners’ dues, which he said strengthened investor confidence. He reaffirmed Apache’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s oil and gas production goals and expressed optimism about building on recent successes.
