Cairo: Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Eng. Karim Badawi, affirmed his support for the expansion of operations of the Egyptian Drilling Company (EDC), a leading firm in onshore and offshore oil and gas well drilling at the regional level. During the company's general assembly, Badawi highlighted the company's successes in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. According to State Information Service Egypt, the Minister stated that EDC's presence in these markets reflects its high efficiency, excellence of its drilling fleet, and quality of its human resources. He confirmed the ministry's support for EDC's plans to expand into international markets, with a focus on strengthening its presence in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and opening new markets soon. Badawi pointed out EDC's competitive advantages, including its leadership in the local market, experience with major international companies in Egypt, an integrated fleet of onshore and offshore drilling rigs, and a proven success record with institutions like Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). He stressed the importance of maximizing the value of EDC's assets, especially drilling rigs, due to its growing role in increasing local petroleum production and enhancing international partnerships. The Minister also emphasized improving human resource efficiency through training in this specialized field and preparing new cadres to support EDC's competitiveness. Badawi highlighted the importance of learning from safety-related lessons to ensure a safe working environment and expressed gratitude to EDC employees, affirming human capital as key to the company's successful expansion beyond Egypt. Eng. Osama Kamel, Chairman of EDC, reviewed the company's performance, stating that EDC has taken steps toward expansion by collaborating with new clients and establishing partnerships in India, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Algeria, West African countries, Brazil, and Thailand.