A landmark decree-law paving the way for advanced natural gas exploration in Bahrain’s historic onshore field won unanimous backing in Parliament, with ministers and MPs hailing it as a strategic step for energy security, investment and skills transfer.
Decree-Law No 33 of 2025 approves a concession agreement covering the Juba and pre-Tawil reservoirs in the Bahrain Field, signed on August 6 last year, between the government, Bapco Energies and EOG Resources Bahrain Awali.
Oil and Environment Minister and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs Dr Mohammed Bin Daina described the concession as ‘very important’ for three key reasons: securing gas supplies using advanced global technology, attracting foreign investment fully financed by the partner company, and developing Bahraini expertise.
“Nine Bahraini employees have already travelled to the United States to observe the latest gas extraction technologies,” he said. “All Bapco Upstream staff will be trained on the most advanced techniques used in the world’s leading gas reservoirs.”
Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee vice-chairwoman MP Zainab Abdulamir said the panel’s review confirmed that the state bears no exploration cost while retaining strong fiscal and regulatory control.
The foreign partner will fund up to $100 million in the initial phase, drilling wells to assess commercial viability in unconventional onshore reservoirs. If successful, production proceeds under a joint framework.
Bahrain secures a 10 per cent royalty on net profits in addition to income taxation overseen by the National Bureau for Revenue, alongside strict environmental, audit, anti-corruption and local-content provisions.
The decree was unanimously approved and referred to the Shura Council for review.
Meanwhile, MPs also unanimously approved tougher penalties with fines up to BD50,000 to unlock stalled industrial land. Parliament in the presence of Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro approved a wide-ranging amendment to the 1999 Industrial Zones law.
The draft law targets long-standing cases of underutilised industrial land. Violations could now trigger suspension of commercial registration for up to six months, suspension of industrial facilities for similar periods, administrative fines reaching up to BD50,000, and even termination of lease contracts without the need for a court ruling.
The law also empowers authorities to withdraw unused or non-compliant portions of industrial plots and reallocate them to new investors, alongside publishing violations publicly after due process.
Also unanimously approved in the presence of Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed were tighter penalties on illegal medical practices.
MPs unanimously approved two closely linked draft laws amending Article (29) of the 1989 Medical Practice Law and Article (23) of the 1987 Allied Health Professions Law, aligning both under a single tougher criminal framework.
The reforms target a range of offences including practising medicine or paramedical professions without a licence, operating illegal clinics, falsifying credentials, or using misleading advertisements to imply professional qualification.
Offenders will face imprisonment of up to five years and fines reaching BD5,000, or either penalty. Courts will also be empowered to order the closure of illegal facilities and confiscation of equipment, while administrative suspension can be imposed immediately pending criminal proceedings. Both draft legislations have been referred to the Shura Council for review.
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