Egypt's gas gold rush
February's oil and gas conference in Cairo attracted firms from around the world for one simple reason: Egypt's gas sector is booming
Hot on the heels of the Zohr offshore gas field — the biggest in the Mediterranean — coming on stream in record time in December 2017, there are rumours of still greater reserves at another offshore field, Nour, scouted by Italy's Eni last summer. International oil companies (IOCs) continue announcing new finds, while Egypt used the conference and exhibition EGYPS to unveil a dozen exploration licences, its largest ever auction. Consultancy Wood Mackenzie calls it "Egypt's astonishing gas renaissance", estimating there is 61tn ft³ of gas reserves in existing fields with another 45tn ft³ waiting to be found. Egyptians are adjusting to the new reality of their country, once an energy backwater
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
