Cairo, September 15, 2025 – The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Methanex Egypt, and the Engineering and Science Services (ESS) of the American University in Cairo (AUC) proudly announce the launch of the initial round of Egypt’s first Process Safety Management (PSM) Professional Diploma.
The first cohort includes 32 professionals from various oil, gas, and petrochemical companies across the sector. Over four months, participants will join the program through in-person and online sessions covering key areas such as the fundamentals of process safety, hazard identification and risk assessment, process safety leadership, safety in design and engineering, emergency response and incident investigation, as well as regulatory compliance and auditing. These topics form the core competencies needed for industry professionals to manage risks and drive stronger safety outcomes.
This curriculum was developed by the Ministry of Petroleum, Methanex Egypt, and the AUC building on the 24 PSM standards and guidelines previously developed by the Ministry and Methanex and issued by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation in 2022. Awarded by AUC’s ESS, the diploma is supported by Methanex Egypt’s sponsorship of 150 Ministry candidates over three years.
Commenting on the launch of the first round, Eng. Yassin Mohamed, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources First Undersecretary and Supervisor: “Launching the first round of Egypt’s Process Safety Management Diploma represents a major step forward in our strategic vision to institutionalize process safety and enhance operational excellence across the sector. Through this collaboration with Methanex Egypt and AUC, we are building a knowledge-based workforce capable of embedding safety into every aspect of our operations.”
Reflecting on the launch of the first round of the diploma, Mohamed Shindy, Methanex Egypt Managing Director, said: “The launch of the first round of Egypt’s Process Safety Management Diploma marks a significant step in transforming our technical collaboration with the Ministry into structured sector-wide capacity building. This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing process safety in the industry and equipping professionals across the sector with the knowledge required to sustain safe operations.”
Dr. Lotfi Gaafar, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering at the AUC, commented: “We are proud to launch the AUC–Methanex Process Safety Management Diploma, a collaborative effort with Methanex and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources aimed at advancing professional expertise in process safety. This partnership underscores our shared commitment to enhancing Egypt’s Oil & Gas sector through cutting-edge training that promotes safety, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.”
This diploma is the result of years of collaboration between the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Methanex Egypt to embed PSM into the country’s oil, gas, and petrochemical sector, progressing from raising awareness, to establishing national PSM standards, and now to building professional capability for a safer future. Since 2018, this partnership has delivered tangible milestones including the development of 24 national PSM standards and guidelines, the launch of Egypt’s first official PSM website (www.psmegypt.com), the publication of the “Towards Safer Processes in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries” book, and the organization of multiple sector-wide PSM conference and knowledge sharing sessions. Together, these initiatives have laid the groundwork for stronger safety culture and practices, positively impacting the industry and supporting a safer energy future for Egypt.