Eni discovers gas in Abu Madi West Development Lease offshore Egypt

Eni and BP announced a gas discovery in the “Great Nooros Area,” which is located in the Abu Madi West Development Lease in the conventional waters of the Nile Delta offshore Egypt.

This new discovery, achieved through the Nidoco NW-1 exploratory well, is located in 16 m of water depth, 5 km from the coast and 4 km north from the Nooros field, discovered in July 2015.

The Nidoco NW-1 exploratory well discovered gas-bearing sands for a total thickness of 100 m, of which 50 m within the Pliocene sands of the Kafr-El-Sheik formations and 50 m within the Messinian age sandstone of the Abu Madi formations, both levels with good petrophysical properties. A new level in the Abu Madi formations, which was not yet encountered in the Nooros field, has been crossed proving the high potential of the Great Nooros Area and the further extension of the gas potential to the north of the field.

The preliminary evaluation of the well results, considering the extension of the reservoir towards north and the dynamic behavior of the field, together with the recent discoveries performed in the area, indicates that the Great Nooros Area gas in place can be estimated in excess of 4 trillion cu ft.

Eni and BP, in coordination with the Egyptian Petroleum Sector, will begin screening the development options of this new discovery benefitting of the synergies with the area’s existing infrastructures.

Eni, through its subsidiary IEOC, holds a 75% stake in the license of the Abu Madi West Development Lease, while BP holds the remaining 25% stake. The operator is Petrobel, an equal joint venture between IEOC and the state company Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation.