Egypt has added two new wells to its gas production portfolio in the deep water West Delta, increasing supply by about 60 million cubic feet per day (mcfd).
The Petroleum Ministry said the move is part of efforts to stabilise output as the country faces rising imports and falling production from older fields.
In a statement on Friday, the Ministry explained that the new output comes from the Sapphire South Central DP well and the Scarab D4 well.
The Sapphire South Central DP well, drilled under Phase 11 of the West Delta Deep Marine development with investment from Shell, contributes 50 mcfd.
The Scarab D4 well, which had been inactive for years, was restored to add 10 MCFD to the national grid.
The Ministry noted that the new supply would support domestic demand and reduce reliance on gas imports.
Egypt, once a regional exporter of gas, has been importing from neighbours to bridge supply gaps.
Challenges of Egypt’s gas production
Egypt’s gas production has been falling in recent years as many of its main fields decline.
According to data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI), gas production in May stood at 3,545 million cubic metres, more than 40% lower than levels in March 2021.
The Ministry said efforts are ongoing to reverse the decline.
On Tuesday, it announced that three new wells are being drilled in Zohr, the country’s largest gas field in the Mediterranean Sea.
Another well in the same field has already been linked to production, providing 65 mcfd to national supply.
Zohr has faced significant decline in recent years, with output falling to 1.9 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) by early 2024, well below its peak in 2019.
Current production levels were not disclosed.
New deal to boost production
Apart from drilling new wells, Egypt is also securing external supplies to meet demand.
Earlier this month, it signed a $35 billion gas import deal with partners in Israel’s Leviathan field.
The agreement, which is the largest of its kind for Egypt, is expected to strengthen supply security in the medium term.
The Ministry said the combination of new domestic production and import deals is aimed at balancing national needs.
Egypt’s growing population and industrial demand have added pressure on existing resources.
In sum, the West Delta additions mark a step in Egypt’s plan to restore stability in gas supply.
Officials noted that more drilling activity and external partnerships will be required to sustain energy security going forward.
