The move “further strengthens our presence in Egypt and marks another important step in advancing our ambitious international exploration strategy,” said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatari minister of state for energy affairs and QatarEnergy's president and CEO.
Al-Kaabi expressed appreciation to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Eni for their “valued support and cooperation,” adding that QatarEnergy looks forward to “working together to achieve our exploration objectives.”
The North Rafah offshore block, situated off Egypt’s northeastern Mediterranean coast, covers nearly 3,000 square kilometres and lies in water depths of up to 450 metres.
Early in October, QatarEnergy inked a deal with Shell to acquire a 27 percent participating interest in the North Cleopatra offshore exploration block in Egypt, further strengthening its footprint in the Eastern Mediterranean energy sector, the company said in a statement on Sunday.
The energy sector stands as one of Egypt’s five high-performing industries under the country's newly launched Narrative for Economic Development, a strategic roadmap guiding its economic transformation through 2030.
QatarEnergy has built a growing presence in Egypt’s energy industry. In November 2024, the company acquired a 23 percent working interest in the North El-Dabaa (H4) block in the Mediterranean Sea through an agreement with Chevron, reinforcing its commitment to regional expansion.
In May 2024, QatarEnergy also signed a farm-in agreement with ExxonMobil, securing a 40 percent interest in two additional offshore exploration blocks in Egypt.
In August 2025, Egypt and Qatar signed a series of bilateral agreements during the sixth session of the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Higher Committee. These agreements marked a pivotal step in enhancing cooperation across economic, political, and social domains.
As part of this renewed partnership, Qatar pledged $7.5 billion in new investments, with allocations spanning energy, real estate, tourism, and other key sectors.
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