Shell to begin gas production from Egypt’s West Mina field late 2026

International oil major Shell (NYSE:SHEL) is set to begin natural gas production from Egypt’s West Mina field in the Mediterranean Sea in Q4 2026, in partnership with Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), aiming to add around 160mn cubic feet per day, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum said in a statement, cited by Al Ahram on May 3. 

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi said expanding the use of advanced exploration technologies, particularly 4D seismic surveys and seabed acquisition systems, is central to maximising Egypt’s gas resources and utilising the opportunities of new discoveries, especially in deepwater areas.

Badawi added that the ministry is considering further programmes to expand the use of such technologies, given their ability to provide accurate data, support investor decision-making, and reduce exploration risks, thereby accelerating the development of discoveries into production. He praised ongoing cooperation with Shell Egypt and Malaysia’s Petronas in the West Delta Deep Marine and Rashid areas, noting that the application of cutting-edge technologies is helping to increase production rates.

Dalia El-Gabry, Chair of Shell Egypt, said the company places health and safety at the forefront of its operations while advancing offshore field development, particularly at West Mina, which is progressing steadily towards its targeted production start, with a commitment to achieving zero incidents.

Shell has accelerated its Egyptian upstream activities in 2026 by deploying the Stena IceMAX drillship to execute a multi-well campaign, including the development of the Mina West gas field. The initiative is complemented by successful exploratory drilling at the Sirius-1X well in the Northeast Amreya concession and ongoing investments in Phase 11 of the West Delta Deep Marine project to bolster domestic natural gas supply.

KUFPEC, the international upstream subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), recently expanded its offshore portfolio by acquiring a 20% interest in the Orca and Sul De Orca assets in Brazil from Shell.