DOHA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - QatarEnergy agreed with Shell

to acquire a 27% participating interest in a block

offshore Egypt from the oil and gas major, it said in a

statement on Sunday.

QatarEnergy has in recent years acquired stakes in oil and

gas basins including in Guyana, Lebanon, Namibia and South

Africa as part of a strategy to expand its global presence.

It recently also acquired several exploration blocks

offshore Egypt.

The agreement, still subject to Egypt's approval, stipulated

that Shell will retain a 36% participating interest as operator

of the North Cleopatra block. Chevron ( CVX ) also holds a 27%

participating interest and Egyptian oil and gas firm Tharwa

Petroleum Company holds 10%.

The North Cleopatra block is located in the frontier

Herodotus basin in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It covers an

area of over 3,400 square km (1,313 square miles) in water

depths of up to 2,600 m (8,530 ft), QatarEnergy said.