Shell Egypt Starts 2026 Drilling Program Following Stena IceMAX Arrival

Shell Egypt has announced the commencement of its 2026 Mediterranean drilling campaign following the arrival of the Stena IceMAX drillship. Operated by Stena Drilling, the vessel will execute a multi-well program, starting with the Mina West development wells and the Sirius exploration prospect, followed by the Velox exploration well.

“This is a crucial operational milestone for Shell in Egypt and for the country’s energy sector. The arrival of Stena IceMAX enables the next phase of our drilling campaign in the Mediterranean, supporting the advancement of Mina West and our wider exploration portfolio. These activities align with Egypt’s strategic ambitions as a regional energy hub and allow the responsible development of its natural gas resources. Shell remains committed to working with our partners and the Government of Egypt to deliver safe, efficient, and value-driven upstream projects,” said Dalia ElGabry, Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Egypt.

The drilling campaign carried out by Shell and its partners targets the development of the Mina West field in the North East El Amriya concession area, where work is underway to develop these two wells by subsea tie-back to the existing producing deepwater wells within the concession area.

Sirius’s exploratory well will be used to assess a natural gas reservoir in shallower waters within the concession, to accelerate near-infrastructure exploration opportunities. The Velox well will be drilled as part of frontier exploration activities, specifically in the North Cleopatra area located in the Herodotus Basin.

The Mina West gas field, first discovered in October 2023, is set for development through a subsea tie-back connection to the established West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) facilities. This strategic infrastructure-led approach is designed to accelerate production timelines, ensuring a steady supply of energy to meet Egypt’s internal natural gas demands.

Shell is operating by 60% the Mina West Development field alongside partner, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), holding 40% interest. Both companies are working closely in cooperation with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS).