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PetroChina-led consortium begins production in Iraq oil field

French oil major Total has said that a consortium, led by PetroChina and Petronas, has started production at the Halfaya field in Iraq

The consortium, which has targeted a first phase average of 70,000 bpd, hopes to eventually increase production at the field to 535,000 bpd.

Total E&P Iraq holds a 18.75 per cent stake in the consortium that operates the field, along with PetroChina (37.5 per cent), Petronas Carigali (18.75 per cent) and state-owned South Oil Company (25 per cent).

"This first step of production from Halfaya marks a milestone in the development of the field," said Yves-Louis Darricarrère, president of Total Exploration and Production.

"Total remains committed to accompanying the development of the Iraqi oil industry and is looking at engaging in other projects.

"In working with its partners PetroChina and Petronas on the Halfaya oil field, Total will also further strengthen its international partnership with world-class national oil companies," he added.

Total started its activities in Iraq in the 1920s with the discovery of the Kirkuk field.

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Richard Hall, CEO of Dana Gas. (Image source: Dana Gas)

Exploration & Production

Dana Gas has reported success in the initial stages of its US$100mn investment programme to increase Egypt’s gas production

The US$100mn investment programme, which involves the drilling of 11 new wells, is expected to significantly increase Dana Gas’s long-term production in Egypt and add approximately 80 bcf in recoverable gas reserves over the course of the two-year plan.

The company has received encouraging initial results from the ‘Begonia-2’ appraisal well, the first appraisal well within the Begonia development area in Egypt’s onshore Nile delta and the first of eleven appraisal and exploration wells planned under the investment programme. The well is estimated to contain nine billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas as an initial estimate, which is subject to increase. Begonia-2 will produce an additional five million cubic feet per day. The well is located in the "New El-Manzala" concession and is operated by the  El-Wastani Petroleum Company (Wasco).

The company has also begun to re-complete several wells in other geological layers, which are expected to add more reserves and enhance production. Work is currently underway on the Balsam-3 well, where estimated reserves are 4 bcf, with an anticipated additional production of 3 million cubic feet of gas per day. The successful recompletion of Balsam-3 is expected to reduce the risk associated with drilling exploration wells in the area and further enhance output.

Richard Hall, CEO, Dana Gas, said, “We have been developing and producing gas in Egypt for over a decade, and the signing of the concession area consolidation agreement with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) late last year has allowed us to acquire additional areas under improved financial terms, enabling us to launch this new phase.

“The success of drilling this well opens vast prospects for gas production in the 'Begonia' area and presents promising future opportunities for expansion and growth. It will also extend the operational life of our assets in Egypt. We are fully committed to making every effort to ensure the success of the programme and its efficient and timely execution. Dana Gas reaffirms its strong commitment to reinvesting the payments it receives from the Egyptian government into executing this ambitious programme and supporting future development projects in the country.”

Amin H. Nasser, CEO Aramco. (Image source: Aramco)

Industry

Aramco reported healthy profits of US$22.7bn in Q2 2025 in its latest financial results, albeit down from the US$26bn recorded in Q1, and maintained high levels of capex to pursue its strategic objectives 

Half-year profits stood at US$48.7bn compared with US$56.3bn in the first half of 2024. The decrease was mainly due to the impact of lower revenues (due to lower crude oil prices and lower refined and chemical products prices) as well as higher operating costs, according to the company.

Aramco declared a Q2 2025 base dividend of US$21.1bn and a performance-linked dividend of US$0.2bn to be paid in the third quarter.

“Aramco’s resilience was proven once again in the first half of 2025 with robust profitability, consistent shareholder distributions and disciplined capital allocation,” said Amin H. Nasser, Aramco CEO.

“Market fundamentals remain strong, and we anticipate oil demand in the second half of 2025 to be more than two million barrels per day higher than the first half. Our long-term strategy is consistent with our belief that hydrocarbons will continue to play a vital role in global energy and chemicals markets, and we are ready to play our part in meeting customer demand over the short and the long term.”

Upstream capital expenditure stood at US$19.2bn for the first half of 2025, relatively consistent with the first half of 2024 due to continuing development activity on multiple strategic gas projects to expand its gas business and advancement of crude oil increments designed to maintain crude oil MSC at 12.0mn bpd.

Aramco reported progress in its Berri, Marjan and Zuluf crude oil increments and brought Phase One of the Dammam development project onstream.

Aramco’s strategy to increase sales gas production capacity by more than 60% was advanced with multiple gas projects, including the Tanajib Gas Plant, Fadhili gas plant expansion and Jafurah Gas Plant, part of the Jafurah unconventional gas field development, with phase one on track for completion in 2025.

Downstream, capital expenditures for the first half of 2025 were US$5.1bn, an increase of 33.1% compared to the same period in 2024, predominantly due to the steady progress of capital projects such as the construction of the refinery-integrated petrochemical steam cracker being developed by S-OIL, the Amiral expansion at the SATORP refinery, and other projects. Global retail momentum continued with the introduction of premium fuel lines in Chile and Pakistan.

“We continue to invest in various initiatives, such as new energies and digital innovation with a focus on AI – aiming to leverage our scale, low cost, and technological advancements for long-term success,” added Nasser. The company significantly boosted its AI computing capacity to reach over 500 PetaFLOPS, a 20-fold increase from the previous year, while power purchase agreements were signed to develop new renewables projects, capitalising on the Kingdom’s advantaged solar and wind resources.

The two companies will collaborate on AI-powere autonomous operations. (Image source: Borouge)

Petrochemicals

Abu Dhabi-based petrochemicals company Borouge is collaborating with Honeywell to conduct a proof of concept for AI-powered autonomous operations, which is set to deliver the petrochemical industry’s first AI-driven control room designed for full-scale, real-time operation

The initiative aims to deploy the proof-of-concept technologies to enhance Borouge’s operations across its Ruwais facilities in the UAE. Autonomous operations will enable Borouge to optimise production, reduce energy use, and enhance safety while reducing costs at what will be the single largest petrochemical site in the world. Both companies will leverage their expertise in process technology and autonomous control capabilities to identify new opportunities to deploy Agentic AI solutions and advanced machine learning algorithms.

The project is a key component of Borouge's companywide AIDT programme, which is projected to generate US$575mn in value this year. In 2024, Borouge’s portfolio of over 200 AIDT initiatives—spanning operations, health and safety, sales, sustainability, and product innovation—generated $573mn in value

Borouge has already installed the world’s largest Real-Time Optimisation (RTO) system across three large-scale ethane crackers and 20 furnaces. The initiative analyses over 2,500 parameters per minute, enabling instant data-driven decisions, significantly enhancing productivity, optimising energy consumption and reducing emissions. The unique system minimises ethane dumping and optimises resource use, in line with Borouge's commitment to sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Borouge has invested in its state-of-the-art Innovation Centre located in Abu Dhabi and is now using advanced AI-powered tools to accelerate innovation, enabling the company to bring new grades of advanced polymers to market quicker. In collaboration with ADNOC AI Lab, Borouge has completed its first “Polymer Optimisation” programme, achieving a 97% accuracy, enabling Borouge to reduce its development timeline from months to weeks.

Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, chief executive officer of Borouge, said, “Borouge's AI, Digitalisation, and Technology (AIDT) transformation programme is setting new standards in operations, innovation and business performance. By collaborating with global AI leaders such as Honeywell, we are accelerating growth, driving efficiency, and enhancing shareholder value. This project further strengthens Borouge’s competitive edge as we continue to deliver on our ambitious AIDT roadmap.”

George Bou Mitri, president of Honeywell Industrial Automation, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central Asia, said, “By integrating AI and automation technologies into core operations, we are helping unlock new levels of efficiency, safety, and performance. This agreement shows how advanced technologies, applied with purpose, can reshape industrial operations at scale.”

Pelco's heavy-duty ruggedised security cameras are designed to meet the evolving demands of modern oil and gas operations. (Image source: Pelco)

Technology

Polina Mamont, technical evangelist for Pelco, provides a comprehensive overview of Pelco’s evolution under the stewardship of Motorola Solutions and how oil and gas operators in the Middle East can benefit from the brand’s new strategic direction

For over 65 years, Pelco has built a legacy of reliability and service, especially in environments where the deployment of trusted devices is essential. But the demands on oil and gas infrastructure have changed. Harsh environments, increasing cyber risk and stricter compliance pressures are reshaping how companies approach safety and security.

The old playbook of hitting ‘record’ and hoping for the best is no longer enough to keep pace with the evolving security challenges. Security teams need security technology that supports faster decision-making, remote diagnostics and real-time insights across sprawling, often hazardous facilities. That’s why Pelco has made a focused shift, building out our portfolio with heavy-duty ruggedised security cameras, designed to meet the evolving demands of modern oil and gas operations.

A legacy of innovation reinvented

Pelco’s renewed strategic direction centres on delivering high-performance cameras and intelligent edge devices that integrate easily with your existing ONVIF-conformant VMS, without requiring a complete system replacement. Since joining Motorola Solutions in 2020, Pelco has redesigned and re-engineered most of its camera lineup, introducing new capabilities through targeted acquisitions:

Videotec – ruggedised cameras and housings built for hazardous and corrosive conditions
IPVideo – smart sensors delivering visibility to privacy-sensitive areas
Silent Sentinel – long-range visible and thermal imaging for perimeter and infrastructure protection
Calipsa – cloud-based analytics to support AI-driven detection and false alarm filtering

This expanded portfolio reflects a broader shift toward intelligent, flexible security. By combining durable hardware with edge analytics and cloud integrations, Pelco devices can help improve visibility across critical zones, identify abnormal behaviours and support compliance with safety regulations.

The missing ingredient for a safer and more secure facility

The Middle East plays a critical role in the global energy supply, producing approximately 30% of the world's oil and around 17% of the world's natural gas. But the region’s environmental and geopolitical realities present unique security challenges. From extreme heat and corrosive sea air to long-range perimeter requirements and cyber-physical threats, operators are under pressure to secure infrastructure without interrupting operations.

The expanded Pelco portfolio range meets these challenges head-on.

Engineered for hazardous and corrosive environments

From desert facilities to offshore platforms, Middle East oil and gas sites require video security built to withstand extreme heat, corrosion and hazardous conditions. Pelco’s specialty camera lineup offers a wide range of configurations, including PTZ, thermal, bispectral PTZ, fixed, compact and IR PTZ, engineered for the region’s most demanding environments.

With models constructed from heavy-duty 316L stainless steel, these cameras are designed to resist the corrosive effects of coastal sea spray and operate reliably in the region's extreme temperatures. They comply with key international standards, such as ATEX and IECEx, ensuring they meet the stringent requirements of your sites. With high-resolution imaging, environmental hardening and advanced detection capabilities, they provide the situational awareness needed to help protect people, assets and operations in any conditions.

Long-range Silent Sentinel cameras help protect boundaries across large distances

For the unique challenge of securing offshore platforms, pipeline corridors and coastal terminals, Silent Sentinel camera systems provide critical long-range situational awareness. These ruggedised camera systems are engineered to detect and classify threats like vehicles, vessels and drones from kilometres away, providing your team with advanced warning to act proactively.

With modular camera systems like Jaegar and Aeron, available in a wide variety of thermal, optical and multispectral lens combinations, operators can observe wide areas day and night, even in fog or complete darkness. These systems integrate seamlessly with radar, range finders and other sensors to support long-range threat detection.

Smart Analytics provides proactive intelligence to protect people and assets

The true power of a modern video system lies in its ability to understand what it sees. Our cameras are equipped with Pelco Smart Analytics, transforming them from passive recorders into proactive detection devices. These AI-driven analytics can classify people and vehicles, and identify behaviours such as loitering near restricted areas, unauthorised entry or absence from zones that require constant human oversight, like control stations on offshore platforms or pump rooms in refineries.

This intelligence extends beyond security to help protect your operations and workforce. Thermal models with radiometric analytics can identify abnormal temperature spikes in critical equipment, like gas compressors or switchgear panels, sending an alert that allows for proactive maintenance before a failure leads to costly downtime. For an additional layer of intelligence, Elevate-enabled cameras streamline maintenance and unlock advanced analytics, such as PPE detection, helping workers stay compliant with safety gear requirements in hazardous zones.

Halo Smart Sensors for protection in privacy zones

In oil and gas environments, areas like restrooms, locker rooms and enclosed break areas still present potential safety and compliance risks. Halo Smart Sensor is an all-in-one device that ensures privacy by operating without any visual or audio recording, instead utilising a suite of advanced sensors to detect a wide range of risks in real-time.

Its air quality sensors can identify dangerous changes that might signal a chemical leak, such as rising VOC levels, or detect prohibited smoking and vaping in hazardous zones. The Halo sensor’s audio analytics can recognise acoustic signatures, such as aggression or a call for help, providing an immediate alert to potential security incidents. In an emergency, Halo’s built-in, colour-coded lights can provide way-finding illumination to help guide your workers to safety and comprehensive protection across every part of your facility.

Upgrade your security without disrupting operations

A complete overhaul of a security system in an active oil and gas facility is a monumental task. The risk of production delays and the logistical complexity of working in hazardous zones often make a full "rip-and-replace" project unrealistic, especially when many facilities rely on legacy operational technology.

This is why Pelco is committed to open platform technology. Our cameras are designed to integrate seamlessly with all leading ONVIF-conformant VMS platforms, including Genetec, Milestone and Avigilon Unity, allowing you to enhance your security capabilities without discarding your current infrastructure.

This approach provides a practical path to modernisation. You can begin upgrading your security posture today by adding intelligent Pelco cameras into your existing infrastructure, allowing you to introduce advanced analytics and enhance operational visibility without the massive cost and disruption of starting from scratch.

Coming soon: Live webinar

We’re hosting an exclusive online event for oil and gas leaders on 16 September at 2:00 pm GST. In the session, we’ll discuss three of the main challenges faced by oil and gas operators: safety, security and productivity, and how advanced video security technology can help to address them.

Interested?
Register for the webinar here.

The webinar will transform confined space inspections. (Image source: Flyability)

Webinar

Despite advances in digital technology, many oil and gas sites across the Middle East still rely on manual entry for tank and vessel inspections, resulting in days of downtime, high scaffolding costs and risk to human life

What if you could change all that with drone technology?

Inspections drones such as the Elios 3 are revolutionising the world of confined space inspections, improving safety, reducing downtime and enhancing operational efficiency.

Join us for an exclusive live webinar hosted by Flyability in association with Oil Review Middle East on ‘Transforming oil and gas operations with the Elios 3 drone’ on Tuesday 2 September at 2pm GST. Industrial experts will explain how drones such as the Elios 3 are transforming confined space inspections, and how you can integrate this technology into your operations seamlessly.

Key highlights:

Drone integration: learn how to safety and effectively implement drones in confined space
Safety and training: understand essential safety protocols and training strategies for your team
ROI: discover how to measure and achieve a strong return on investment with drone technology
Real world use cases: hear from the engineers using drone tech in the field on the impact Elios 3 is having on in oil and gas inspections.

Speakers and host:

Fabio Fata – senior sales manager, Flyability (moderator)
Eralp Koltuk – inspection lead engineer, Tüpraş
Danijel Jovanovic – director of operations, ZainTECH

Take your operations to the next level! Don’t miss out on gaining valuable insights into how drones can make inspections safer, faster and smarter .

From making inspections in hazardous confined spaces much safer to streamlining the whole process and providing valuable real-time data, you will get to see exactly how the Elios 3 is changing the game.

Register for the free webinar here.

ANRPC personnel. (Image source: ANRPC)

Energy Transition

Mitsubishi Power has completed a groundbreaking hydrogen fuel conversion project at the Alexandria National Refining and Petrochemicals Company (ANRPC) refinery in Egypt, the first industrial application of hydrogen use as fuel in an industrial boiler in Egypt and the MENA region, according to the company

Mitsubishi Power carried out the design, engineering, supply and installation of the equipment and control systems to rehabilitate and upgrade a 100-ton-per-hour main boiler, converting it from heavy fuel oil and natural gas to a 100% hydrogen fuel. The project also contributed to the utilisation of 14,000 tons per year of hydrogen-rich gases available in the production units, reducing natural gas consumption by around 24,000 tons and contributing to a reduction of carbon emissions by approximately 65,000 tons per year.

This project marks a significant step forward in Egypt's energy transition and decarbonisation goals, as well as its aim to become a leader in the global hydrogen economy, while highlighting the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy source in Egypt’s industrial sector.

Mitsubishi Power's expertise in providing cutting-edge hydrogen technology solutions, combined with ANRPC's operational leadership, contributed to the project's success, in a model that it is hoped can be replicated to drive forward further hydrogen adoption across Egypt and the MENA region.

Sayed Al-Rawi, chairman and managing director of ANRPC, said, "We are proud to be part of Egypt's journey towards a clean energy future and to contribute to achieving Egypt Vision 2030 with this pioneering milestone to using hydrogen as a fuel. This project represents an unprecedented achievement for ANRPC, Egypt, and the entire region. By integrating hydrogen into refining processes, we are contributing to reduce Egypt's carbon footprint and set a new standard for the country's industrial sector.”

Javier Cavada, president and CEO, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Mitsubishi Power, added, "The success of this first-of-a-kind hydrogen conversion project marks a milestone in Egypt's transition to clean energy and reflects Mitsubishi Power's global leadership in developing advanced, low-carbon power generation technologies. This project will lay down the foundation to a commercial path for decarbonizing Egypt's industrial facilities with minimal downtime, in addition to demonstrating the tangible and positive impact of hydrogen in reducing emissions and developing sustainable energy solutions."

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