Latest news with #Mees
Egypt Today
24-03-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Egypt's oil production decline to 4.3B cubic feet per day in January 2025
CAIRO – 24 March 2025: Egypt's natural gas production has seen a significant drop of 20 percent year-on-year, falling to 4.3 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in January. This marks the lowest production level since December 2016, as reported by the Middle East Economic Survey (Mees). The data suggests that this downward trend shows no signs of easing. In the West Delta region, gas production dropped by 3 percent month-on-month in January, reaching 3.1 bcf/d—its lowest point in eight years—despite the activation of additional wells from Shell's West Delta Deep Marine project earlier in the month. Meanwhile, production in the Western Desert has remained flat at 763 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d), a multi-decade low, and the Nile Delta region saw a significant drop to 332 mcf/d, the lowest level since mid-2014. The Egyptian government had set ambitious targets for 2025, with reports indicating a plan to increase domestic gas production by 30 percent, aiming to reach 6 bcf/d by year-end. However, current trends suggest the country may struggle to achieve these goals. Efforts to increase production are underway, though they may not be enough to reverse the declines. BP recently began production from the second phase of its Raven natural gas field in the North Alexandria offshore concession, which is expected to contribute 220 bcf/d of gas. However, Mees has described this projection as 'optimistic.' Dana Gas, a key player in the Nile Delta, is investing $100 million into developing new production capacity, including drilling 11 new wells. This project is expected to add 80 bcf/d of gas reserves. Despite these efforts, Dana Gas's production has halved to 80 mcf/d over the past seven years. US oil producer Apache remains hopeful for gas output improvements, having secured higher prices for its new production. The company is launching a $60 million drilling program in the Western Desert, aiming to boost gas production by 80 mcf/d starting this month. However, the outlook for Egypt's oil production remains grim. National oil output fell to 523,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in January, the lowest in over 40 years. The Western Desert, which accounts for nearly half of the country's oil production, saw a 2 percent month-on-month decrease, dropping to 274,000 bbl/d.
Zawya
24-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt's oil, natural gas output decline 20% YoY in January
Egypt's oil and gas output declined in January 2025, the Middle East Economic Survey (Mees) data showed. The natural gas output shrank by 20% year-on-year (YoY) to 4.312 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in January, marking its lowest monthly level since December 2016. On a monthly basis, the natural gas production from the West Delta region dropped by 3% in January to 3.1 bcf/d, recording an eight-year low. The decline came despite more of Shell's West Delta Deep Marine wells going online in early January. Output from the Western Desert has been stable since November at 763 mcf/d, while output from the onshore Nile Delta region retreated to its lowest level since mid-2014 to 332 mcf/d. 'Whilst there are some positive signs for Egypt's gas output trajectory in 2025 — though, given steep underlying decline rates, the smart money is on slower decline rather than overall gains — for oil there are few if any positive signs,' Mees stated. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CBC
05-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
MUN students charged with trespassing prepare for 5-day trial
Three Memorial University students were arrested and charged with trespassing in July after occupying the university's Arts and Administration building during a protest. Now they're preparing for a five-day trial in June where they say their Charter rights are at stake. Sadie Mees and Devoney Ellis are among the trio. They say the case could set a precedent for future student protests. "There is a lot of political movement and activism on campus, and so we are just really hoping that MUN isn't allowed to keep up with things like this," said Mees. After the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks and the subsequent Israeli bombings on Gaza, students across Canada started to push their universities to remove investments in companies tied to Israel and weapons manufacturing. In St. John's, MUN students pushed the university to disclose its investments and divest from any tied to weapons manufacturing. After discovering MUN hadn't disclosed its investments, students began protesting. "I feel like when you're in a smaller place, people don't think that what they do matters, but it does," said Ellis. In May, students set up an outdoor encampment similar to those seen across the country. In early June, they moved their occupation indoors to the lobby of the Arts and Administration building. In a statement, MUN media relations manager Chad Pelley said that students were allowed to continue protesting, just not after hours. He said that the university's main concern was health and safety regulations and that there were multiple complaints. "It is the university's firm position that no constitutional rights were violated," said Pelley in the statement. A 'chaotic' arrest When the protest moved inside, Mees said their lawyer, Kyle Rees, and campus enforcement confirmed that they were allowed to stay on campus overnight. On June 19, MUN disclosed its investments, revealing that 0.297 per cent of its portfolio is invested in companies listed as having ties to Israeli weapons manufacturing, amounting to over $7 million. But protesters continued their occupation, demanding that MUN divest these funds and also provide more support to Palestinian students. WATCH | These activists say Memorial University is criminalizing student protests: Trial coming for MUN students charged with trespassing after occupying campus building 32 minutes ago Duration 2:55 But the situation changed on the morning of July 5 when Rees received an email from MUN's general counsel Scott Worsfold to advise the protesters to "abide by the request to vacate and dismantle the encampment." Rees, concerned about the lack of involvement by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Anti-racism offices in MUN's decision-making, requested that they have the weekend to decide how to respond. "Many of the racialized and vulnerable (ie, facing possible security issues in their home country) protestors have interests and stakes here that ought to be considered through the [Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Anti-Racism] lens before MUN takes positions on the protest," said Rees in his emailed response. Mees and Ellis say they didn't expect anything else to happen that Friday, but at 9:30 p.m. campus enforcement had begun dismantling the encampment outside. Mees said they asked campus enforcement if they could dismantle the tents themselves, and despite saying they could, officers continued. "It was very chaotic, very like rushed," said Mees. "We just tried to stay calm." Mees and Ellis said communication with campus patrol and police was confusing after that. At 9:57 p.m. they were informed they had 30 minutes to leave the building, but also told they had to be out by 10 p.m. or else it would be considered trespassing and police would intervene. "We were served the notice late," said Mees. "The way MUN handled it was reckless, irresponsible, dangerous and just like poorly planned." While some students chose to leave, three stayed and were charged. Mees and Ellis say they're disappointed the university chose to charge them and take them to court instead of divesting. "Looking back now, I just feel really angry honestly, that that is the route that the school decided to take," said Mees. Trial for trespass During the protest, Rees said students were cooperative and communicated often with the university. He said they were respectful while still trying to make their message heard. However, he argued, events at other universities in Canada changed MUN's course. In early July, an Ontario court had granted an injunction to the University of Toronto to clear out a much larger encampment. Rees thinks this decision led MUN to decide it could do it too, despite the number of students involved being much lower. "There is a huge difference between the University of Toronto and encampment as it existed and the protests that were occurring at Memorial University," said Rees The five-day trial is atypically long for a trespass charge, said Rees as it's on the lower end of seriousness. But in this case, he said five days might be needed. "The individuals' defence to the charge of trespass is that they were exercising their Charter right to free speech and were doing so in a peaceful way that can be supported under the rules around peaceful protest," said Rees. "That can take some time to establish." Rees said he will call for several witnesses to demonstrate that the students were acting respectfully and to demonstrate why their message was important. He also argues that the protest was an extension of their education. "The university is a place for free exchange of thought and tackling global ideas," said Rees. Rees also defended Matt Barter, a student protester who was banned from campus for a silent protest in 2021. "Now we have Memorial University, again from my client's perspective, silencing protest and free speech," said Rees. Mees and Ellis say they're going to continue to push MUN to make change. "We want an effective policy developed so that MUN cannot continue to profit off of human rights abuses and genocide. And we also want effective support put in place for Palestinian students," said Mees.
