Arab Finance: Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi has launched the 2026 international bid round for crude oil and natural gas exploration, offering 14 new blocks to international and Egyptian oil and gas companies.

The bid round, which opened on Tuesday, August 11, is part of the government’s efforts to attract more investment into the petroleum sector, boost local crude oil and gas production, and support the targets of its five-year plan to raise output.

لإhe tender includes eight blocks offered by the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) across the Mediterranean Sea, Nile Delta, and North Sinai. Companies can submit bids for these blocks until December 14, at 12:00 PM.

The remaining six blocks, offered by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), are located in the Gulf of Suez, Sinai, and the Western Desert. The deadline for submitting bids for these areas is November 11, at 12:00 PM.

These blocks are being offered digitally via the Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG) portal at eug.petroleum.gov.eg, under production-sharing agreements, with the process designed to enhance transparency and competitiveness.

Badawi affirmed that the latest round presents a diverse portfolio of promising and competitive investment opportunities, with several blocks located close to existing oil and gas fields and supporting infrastructure.