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Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced on Saturday 2 May a new natural gas discovery in the Nile Delta, with production rates estimated at around 50 million cubic feet per day.
The discovery followed the successful drilling of the exploratory well, Nidoco N-2, in an offshore concession, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The well was drilled in the West Abu Madi development area in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, approximately 3 kilometers offshore, in shallow waters at a depth of about 10 meters.
The ministry said the drilling was carried out using the EDC 56 rig (electric-driven rig designed for drilling oil, gas, or water wells), and that the operation was executed from land using advanced directional drilling techniques.
The use of such modern methods, the ministry added, helped reduce costs and improve overall operational efficiency. Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi added the discovery is expected to support production growth alongside increases from existing fields.
He also linked the broader momentum in exploration and drilling activity to the timely payment of due amounts to foreign partners, noting that improved settlement of partner obligations encourages companies to intensify exploration efforts, raise drilling and production rates, and expand development of mature fields by extending agreements.
Badawi further emphasized the strategic advantage of the new well’s location. He said it lies within a short distance of existing infrastructure, at less than 2 kilometers from the nearest production facilities, enabling it to be tied into the production network within weeks to support early output and improve investment efficiency.
