Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced on Saturday a new natural gas discovery in the Nile Delta, expected to add approximately 50 million cubic feet per day to the country’s production capacity.
The discovery was made following a successful drilling of the exploratory well “Nidoco N-2” within the West Abu Madi concession area, operated by Eni in partnership with BP.
The well has confirmed promising gas-bearing formations and is expected to contribute to strengthening domestic gas supplies.
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, inspected the EDC 56 drilling rig, which carried out the operation in the Kafr El Sheikh Governorate.
The well was drilled in shallow offshore waters—approximately three kilometres from the coastline at a depth of ten metres— using advanced directional drilling technology from an onshore location.
This approach has significantly reduced costs and improved operational efficiency.
Minister Badawi noted that the proximity of the discovery to existing infrastructure—less than two kilometres from nearby production facilities—will enable a rapid connection to the national gas network, facilitating the commencement of production in a short timeframe.
Badawi stated that this discovery coincides with increased output from existing fields and reflects the sector’s ongoing efforts to settle outstanding financial obligations to foreign partners.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clearing all arrears by the end of June, aiming to strengthen investor confidence and improve the wider investment climate.
He added that this improved financial discipline has encouraged international partners to intensify exploration, expand drilling programmes, and accelerate the development of mature fields, thereby attracting further investment into the sector.
The West Abu Madi Development Zone is operated by Eni in co-operation with BP and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation through Petrobel, a joint venture between the Egyptian state and Eni.
