Egypt’s energy landscape is witnessing renewed momentum following the discovery of 40 new oil and gas fields, revealed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Between July 2024 and May 2025, a total of 75 wells were drilled across the country, with 69 undergoing full evaluation, resulting in confirmed commercial finds.
Minister of Petroleum Karim Badawi said the discoveries represent an estimated 42 million barrels of oil and condensates and around 1.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The announcement reinforces Cairo’s strategy to enhance domestic production capacity while attracting long-term investment in the hydrocarbons sector.
The Mediterranean Sea region delivered strong results, with eight drilled wells leading to five gas discoveries. These finds are estimated to hold 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and four million barrels of oil and condensates. Exploration in the Gulf of Suez and the Eastern Desert also bore fruit, with 12 wells drilled and six oil fields confirmed so far, contributing 1.7 billion cubic feet of gas and six million barrels of oil and condensates.
However, the Western Desert stood out as Egypt’s most prolific zone during this phase, accounting for 29 of the total new discoveries. These include approximately 32.7 million barrels of oil and condensates and 46.5 billion cubic feet of gas, underlining the region’s strategic weight in Egypt’s upstream future.
Beyond exploration, Egypt has strengthened its investment portfolio. Over the 2024–2025 fiscal year and preceding months, 12 new exploration agreements were finalized, with a combined investment commitment of \$631 million. An additional 15 agreements, valued at nearly \$298.5 million, are in the final stages of approval.
The ministry estimates that the combined exploration and investment activity will raise Egypt’s daily output by 41,000 barrels of oil and 1.37 billion cubic feet of gas—figures expected to bolster the country’s energy self-sufficiency and economic resilience.
“These achievements reflect a deliberate effort to unlock Egypt’s hydrocarbon potential while building energy security for the nation,” Badawi stated during a press briefing in Cairo.
The developments come at a time when African energy producers are increasingly focused on maximizing domestic resource utilization and attracting investment to drive growth. With these results, Egypt further cements its position as a regional energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.