BP, ADNOC’s XRG agree Egypt gas JV Arcius Energy

BP and XRG announced they have reached financial close and completed formation of their new joint venture and international natural gas platform Arcius Energy. BP
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Updated 16 December 2024
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BP, ADNOC’s XRG agree Egypt gas JV Arcius Energy

  • Arcius Energy is 51% owned by BP and 49% owned by XRG
  • ADNOC announced last week the newly-created XRG’s board members

DUBAI: BP and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s international investments arm XRG said on Monday they have closed a deal for a new natural gas joint venture in Egypt, as ADNOC expands its efforts to grow abroad.
The joint venture, Arcius Energy, is 51 percent owned by BP and 49 percent owned by XRG. It will operate in Egypt initially.
Naser Saif Al-Yafei, an ADNOC veteran, was hired as Arcius’ chief executive. He most recently led strategy, sustainability and transformation at subsidiary ADNOC Gas. Katerina Papalexandri, vice president of gas and low carbon energy growth at BP, was appointed chief financial officer.

“Arcius Energy brings together the strengths of our two companies to create a dynamic new platform for international growth in natural gas in the region,” BP Chief Executive Murray Auchincloss said in the statement, adding that Egypt was “a hub for new opportunities to build out a highly competitive gas portfolio in the region.”
Sultan Al-Jaber, XRG executive chairman and ADNOC CEO, said the JV “fully aligns with XRG’s objectives to accelerate the transformation of energy systems and build a world-scale integrated gas and chemicals portfolio to meet rising global demand.”
Arcius’ concessions in Egypt comprise a 10 percent interest in Shorouk, which contains the giant Zohr field operated by Eni and 100 percent of North Damietta, which contains the producing Atoll field operated by the Pharaonic Petroleum Company.

It also has exploration concession agreements for North El Tabya, Bellatrix-Seti East and North El Fayrouz.
ADNOC announced last week that the newly-created XRG’s board members include Blackstone’s Jon Gray and former BP boss Bernard Looney, who was dismissed by BP’s board last December after the oil major said he had knowingly misled the board by failing to disclose past relationships.
The appointment of big names from the world of finance and energy to XRG’s board signals its grand ambitions, as ADNOC pursues its aggressive growth strategy.
XRG, which ADNOC said is valued at more than $80 billion, will focus on overseas investments in low-carbon energy, including gas, chemicals and renewables.


PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

Updated 25 February 2026
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PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

RIYADH: Electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group, majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, announced a surge in deliveries in 2025 with volumes reaching 15,841 units, a 55 percent increase year-on-year.

According to a statement, the EV maker also provided an optimistic production outlook for 2026, signaling confidence in its operational turnaround and strategic shift toward autonomy.

In September 2023, the group opened its first-ever international car manufacturing facility in the Kingdom. The hub serves as the company’s second Advanced Manufacturing Plant and its first outside of the US.

According to the earnings report, the company delivered 5,345 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 72 percent from the same period in the previous year, marking its eighth consecutive quarter of record deliveries.

Interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said that 2025 “was all about execution and strategy adjustment to set Lucid up for long-term success. Against a challenging macro backdrop, we nearly doubled production, gained market share, reduced unit costs, and strengthened our financial position.”

This commercial momentum translated directly into financial gains. Lucid’s fourth-quarter revenue soared 123 percent to $522.7 million, while full-year 2025 earnings climbed 68 percent to $1.35 billion. The company ended the quarter with a robust liquidity position of approximately $4.6 billion.

A key driver of the improved performance was the ramp-up of production, including the launch of the Lucid Gravity SUV. Despite facing supply chain and tariff headwinds, Lucid nearly doubled its total production for the year.

The company clarified its final production figures for 2025, reporting a total of 17,840 vehicles. This aligns with its previous guidance of approximately 18,000 units.

Lucid explained that a preliminary estimate of 18,378 units, announced in early January, was revised after 538 vehicles were found not to have completed the final internal validation procedures required to be classified as “produced.”

These vehicles are expected to be finalized in 2026, and the company stressed the revision does not impact previously reported financial results.

The manufacturer expects to produce between 25,000 and 27,000 vehicles in 2026, representing growth of up to 51 percent compared with 2025.

Chief Financial Officer Taoufiq Boussaid said: “Q4 marked a clear step-change in production and unit economics. The progress we made is structural, creating a more repeatable and stable operating cadence heading into 2026.”

Beyond the production numbers, Lucid outlined a pivot toward software and autonomy. Winterhoff highlighted the company’s ambition to become an “early mover in the emerging robotaxi market” by leveraging its industry-leading EV technology and strategic partnerships.

To fund these future growth platforms while maintaining financial discipline, the company is making targeted adjustments to its workforce.

“As we prepare for the next stage of our product and volume expansion, we are making targeted adjustments to our US-based, non-manufacturing workforce to reallocate resources to support the next stage of our growth and margin progression,” Boussaid added.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to “financial rigor, operational efficiency, and thoughtful capital allocation.”

In January 2025, the EV maker became the first global automotive company to join the Kingdom’s “Made in Saudi” program, granting it the right to use the “Saudi Made” label on its products, symbolizing the nation’s focus on quality and innovation.

Lucid’s facility, located in King Abdullah Economic City, can currently assemble 5,000 vehicles annually during its first phase. Once fully operational, the complete manufacturing plant, including the assembly line, is expected to produce up to 155,000 electric cars per year. 

This comes as the Kingdom is promoting the adoption of electric vehicles as part of its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
A critical target of the initiative is for 30 percent of all vehicles in Riyadh to be electric by 2030, contributing to a broader goal of reducing emissions in the capital by 50 percent.