Fossil Energy – Egypt
Italy’s Eni and the UK’s BP have made a new natural gas discovery in the Nile Delta region.
It is expected to produce around 50 million cubic feet of gas per day.
The Nido N-2 exploratory well was drilled in the West Abu Madi area of the Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the well is located around 3 km offshore in shallow waters, but was drilled from the shore using directional drilling technologies aimed at reducing costs and improving operational efficiency.
Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi visited the EDC-56 drilling rig that carried out the operations, stating that the discovery, alongside increased output from existing fields, reflects the sector’s progress in settling dues owed to foreign partners.
He added that the government is targeting the full clearance of outstanding dues by the end of June and that regular payments have encouraged partners to increase drilling, production, and development activities.
The ministry stated that the well is located less than 2 km from existing production infrastructure, enabling a rapid tie-back and the commencement of production within weeks.
Badawi noted that the discovery demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be leveraged to increase production and support the domestic gas supply, and highlights Eni’s continued exploration success in Egypt.
The West Abu Madi development area is operated by Eni in partnership with BP and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) through Petrobel, their joint venture.
