The Mediterranean Gas & Energy Week, the industry’s biggest online event in the region, launched its first day of sessions with 20 expert speakers presenting the latest opportunities in the region to over 2,000 senior executives from the oil, gas and renewables industries. The summit is sponsored by GeoMar, HELPE Upstream, Hellenic Hydrocarbons Resources Management, Sproule and Rystad Energy.
The first day was focused on Cyprus, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Malta, with government and national regulator officials presenting the latest opportunities in their respective countries, and upcoming regional prospects. The next two days will cover the rest of the region, including Greece, Algeria, and Egypt. Discover the latest news on bidding contracts, Licensing Rounds, discoveries, and tech updates straight from the source, as governments will be presenting their latest updates and next steps.
Highlights in a minute
✔️Morocco has the potential to export power to Algeria and Mauritania once it covers its internal demand.
✔️ According to ENGIE African countries have the potential to cover more than 30% of their consumption with renewables by 2030, 15% more than the average target for that decade
✔️ Cyprus has come up with a synergies-focused solution across the value chain, and robust technical measures, to improve the Aphrodite field development process and optimize monetization.
✔️ Cyprus is looking into subsea tie-backs and FLNG to develop its fields
✔️ Tunisia will require more international service providers, as there is a need for specialised drilling services and logistics, which will only increase as exploration proceeds
✔️ The East Med Gas discoveries are a region-changer as they can cover East Med regional energy consumption for many years, and fund the necessary infrastructure for long-term energy self-sufficiency
✔️Lebanon is preparing the ground for reforms and a strong return to the upstream industry
Governments & Institutions: New opportunities in the Mediterranean
Mohamed Zine, Director Promotion and Asset Management, ONHYM opened the day by presenting Morocco’s current exploration and production map as well as ONHYM’s history of successful partnerships & highly competitive fiscal incentives.
Morocco has the potential to export power to Algeria and Mauritania once it covers its internal demand
Following that, Iman Hill, Executive Director, International Association of Oil & Gas Producers shared IOGP’s position on energy transition and how renewables and oil and gas must coexist for the energy industry to grow.
Dr Albert Caruana, Director General, Continental Shelf Department of Malta, presented the country’s offshore exploration opportunities and its overall geology.
"2021 is an exploration era for Cyprus, we are coming out of Covid, and we are ready to move forward and develop our gas assets." Mr. Demetris Fessas, Acting General Manager, Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company stated when discussing Cyprus' exploration, production and lng opportunities.
Cyprus has come up with a synergies-focused solution across the value chain, and robust technical measures, to improve the Aphrodite field development process and optimize monetization.
The Tunisian Energy Sector: Sustainable economic growth?
Abdelwaheb Khammassi, newly appointed President of ETAP, opened the session by presenting the National Oil Company’s current fiscal and investment regime, upstream opportunities, future plans and capabilities. Tunisia has more than 3 months of storage capacity, and once oil production begins, they will then invest to increase it even further.
Afterwards, Mehdi Ben Abdallah, Managing Partner of EXIA, chaired the Tunisia-focused panel, where Edward van Kersbergen, Chairman of Mazarine Energy and Owner of The Sunrise Energy Group, Yves Postec, General Manager Tunisia, Perenco and Wilhelm Sackmaier, General Manager of OMV Tunisia Production discussed their respective IOC’s upcoming exploration and production schedules. Following this, the panelists had a fruitful dialogue focusing on how Tunisia can further improve its legislative competitiveness and how the industry can attract more international service providers, as there is a need for specialised drilling services and operations.
Energy Change in quotes
"African countries have the potential to cover more than 30% of their consumption through renewables by 2030, 15% more than the average target for that decade.” stated Florence Fontani, Executive VP Strategy, Communications and ESR in the Middle East, South and Central Asia and Turkey, ENGIE.
“Hydrogen is a rock star” stated Francisco P. D. de la Flor, Director of International Organizations, Enagás, during his presentation at the Med Gas & Energy Summit earlier today. Francisco explained the optimal decarbonisation process and mentions and the advantages of blending Hydrogen into existing Gas Networks. “We need to think and build the future together - work and develop the changes within the gas industry to provide the best service for users and consumers.”
Find out more about these opportunities first-hand at the Mediterranean Gas & Energy Week, and meet all major operators at the region's biggest online summit on 19-21 January 2021.