Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) has signed four agreements for the drilling of 10 wells to carry out gas and oil exploration in the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile Delta. The agreements represent a combined investment of about US$340m and they were signed with Shell International (US$120m, 3 wells), Eni (US$100m, 3 wells), the Russian Zarubezhneft (US$14m, 4 wells), and Arcius Energy International for the development of the Mernith, East Port Said and North Damietta offshore areas and the North Khatatba onshore area (US$109m).
Additionally, the Egyptian Petroleum Ministry has announced that two new wells in the deepwater West Delta have gone online, adding about 60 mcf/d (1.7 mcm/d) of natural gas to the country's output. The wells are the Sapphire South Central DP well (1.4 mcm/d), the Scarab D4 well (0.3 mcm/d). The country is also drilling another three wells on its gas field (the Zohr in the Mediterranean) and it has detected another well in the area linked to production adding 65 mcf/d (1.8 mcm/d) to national supply.
Egypt seeks to intensify its exploration activities to support the growth of gas resources and increased production to meet its national demand.