The key facts

  • Discovery at the Nasim-1X well: a gas-bearing layer about 15 meters thick, with an initial estimate of about 200 billion cubic feet
  • The Taiba concession is being developed by Eni and Woodside, with drilling performed by Petrobel
  • A 22-kilometer pipeline to the Abu Madi — El Gamil system is planned; no start date for production has been given

A new gas discovery offshore

Egypt has announced a new natural gas discovery in the Mediterranean Sea: initial estimates put the reserves of the Nasim-1X exploration well at about 200 billion cubic feet. According to the country's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, drilling and evaluation of the well, located in the Taiba concession area, revealed a gas-bearing layer with a net thickness of about 15 meters and characteristic geological and petrophysical properties. The report was published by Euronews.

What has been done and what lies ahead

Technical and field studies are continuing: they are expected to determine recoverable volumes, possible daily production rates, and the commercial viability of the discovery. The ministry has not yet named a date for the start of production. To speed up the field's commissioning, the well is planned to be connected to existing infrastructure via a pipeline about 22 kilometers long, linking it to the Abu Madi — El Gamil gas line.

Who is working on the concession

The Taiba concession is operated by Italy's Eni in partnership with Australia's Woodside; drilling was carried out on the partners' behalf by the Egyptian company Petrobel. The ministry linked the successful result to growing investment and exploration activity, an improved investment climate, and progress in settling overdue debts to foreign companies in the energy sector.

Context: a shortage of domestic gas

The discovery was announced against the backdrop of declining gas production in Egypt in recent years, which has increased the country's reliance on imports to meet demand. Cairo is counting on developing new discoveries and accelerating exploration to strengthen domestic supplies — demand from the power sector and industry remains high. For now, however, the discovery remains at the evaluation stage: neither confirmed recoverable volumes nor a production schedule have been announced.