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Apache Corporation, in cooperation with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), has announced a new natural gas discovery in Egypt’s Western Desert following the drilling of the exploratory well named SKAL-1X in the South Kalabsha area, 50 kilometers south of Aswan.
The Ministry of Petroleum said in a statement on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, that preliminary well test results indicate daily production rates of 26 million cubic feet of natural gas and 2,700 barrels of condensate.
The discovery is presented as a tangible outcome of the measures implemented by Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum to encourage expanded exploration and research activity, while also increasing investments in new areas.
In particular, the new find lies in proximity to Apache’s existing work areas, which improves the economic feasibility of potential development by allowing the project to draw on nearby infrastructure and existing production facilities. This proximity is also expected to help reduce development costs.
The statement noted that the SKAL-1X results align with broader national objectives aimed at strengthening local natural gas supply.
By contributing additional output from the Western Desert, the discovery is expected to support efforts to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on imports, while also helping address natural production decline from older fields.
Beyond the immediate production figures, the discovery is also significant for its potential to accelerate development and expedite the transition from exploration to production.
