Egypt, Africa’s third-largest natural gas producer, is preparing to deploy the Commander offshore survey vessel as part of a wider exploration programme covering 95,000 square kilometres of the Eastern Mediterranean, as the country seeks new gas discoveries and fresh investment in its energy sector.
- Egypt is launching a major offshore seismic survey covering 95,000 sq km in the Eastern Mediterranean to boost gas exploration and investment.
- The first phase of the survey, focusing on 18,000 sq km of Egyptian waters, will begin within two weeks using advanced Ocean Bottom Node technology.
- The project is conducted by EGAS in partnership with international companies SLB and Viridien, aiming to build a robust geological database for future exploration decisions.
- The Commander vessel has arrived to start the operations, with initial activities planned in the Denis areas off Port Said and Ras El Bar
Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi announced on October 18 that the first phase of the offshore seismic survey would begin within two weeks, covering approximately 18,000 square kilometres of Egyptian waters.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the project will use Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) technology to improve geological imaging beneath the seabed and help identify promising areas for natural gas exploration.
The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) is implementing the programme with international energy technology company SLB and geoscience specialist Viridien, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
Egypt ranked third in Africa for natural gas production in 2025, producing 40.76 billion cubic metres (bcm), behind Algeria (98.0 bcm) and Nigeria (50.8 bcm), according to the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2026
The ministry said the wider programme aims to build a more extensive geological database to assess undiscovered hydrocarbon resources and help international companies make better-informed exploration and investment decisions.
Advanced seismic technology to guide drilling decisions
Badawi said the initiative would improve understanding of subsea geological structures, help identify the most attractive exploration areas and create opportunities for international companies to increase investment in exploration and production, according to the ministry’s announcement.
The ministry also confirmed that the specialised vessel Commander had arrived at Port Said ahead of operations, with two additional vessels expected to join the project. Initial activities are scheduled for the Denis areas off Port Said and Ras El Bar, with work planned to continue through the end of 2026. Preparations are also underway for operations extending into 2027.
The BGP Commander, built in 2018, is a Panama-flagged offshore supply vessel measuring 84 metres in length. According to maritime database MagicPort, the vessel is registered to Chinese leasing firm Hangyun Tianjin Leasing Co Ltd, while Hilong Geophysical Co Ltd serves as its commercial and ISM manager.
The wider survey programme follows Egypt’s efforts to encourage exploration investment and strengthen domestic gas supplies.
In a separate announcement on October 5, the petroleum ministry said EGAS had signed an agreement with US energy major Chevron for natural gas and crude oil exploration in the offshore Lotus area, involving minimum investments of $88 million and plans for two exploratory wells.
The seismic survey is intended to improve the quality of information available to exploration companies before drilling.
However, the programme does not guarantee new discoveries: any potential resources identified through the data would still need to be confirmed by exploratory wells and assessed for commercial viability.