President Sisi ratifies oil exploration and exploitation law for Western Desert

CAIRO – 2 February 2026: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s ratification of Law No. 160 of 2025 was published in the Official Gazette on Monday.

The law authorizes the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources to enter into contracts with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) and Apache Khalda Corporation LLC, allowing amendments to the concession agreement originally issued under Law No. 157 of 2021.
The agreement covers the exploration, development, and exploitation of oil within the integrated exploration and development area of Egypt’s Western Desert. This ratification underscores the state's ongoing commitment to expanding its energy sector and optimizing resource management in the region.