Egypt Discovers New Gas Well Adding 15 Billion ft³ to Reserves

Egypt discovered a new natural gas well in the Western Desert that is expected to add around 15 billion cubic feet of gas reserves, with production scheduled to begin later this month.

The announcement came during an inspection tour by Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi at the fields of Badr El Din Petroleum Company (BAPETCO), where officials reviewed efforts to expand the use of advanced drilling techniques to increase domestic oil and gas production.

The newly discovered well, located in the Badr 15 area, is undergoing hydraulic fracturing operations as part of BAPETCO’s program to enhance well productivity and maximize recovery from existing reservoirs.

BAPETCO Chairman Khaled Abdel Salam said the well is expected to add approximately 15 billion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and begin production by the end of June.

The well is projected to produce around 15 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, and 500 barrels per day of petroleum condensates.

During the visit, Minister Badawi highlighted the importance of expanding the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies, describing them as key tools for increasing production efficiency and reducing dependence on imports.

The minister said these technologies have proven successful globally in improving reservoir performance and maximizing output from existing fields.

BAPETCO reported that during the current fiscal year it completed 40 successful hydraulic fracturing operations, which helped add more than 10,000 barrels of oil per day, and 15 million cubic feet of gas per day to Egypt’s production levels.

The petroleum ministry said achieving its five-year plan to significantly increase crude oil production requires adopting unconventional solutions and applying advanced global technologies in exploration and production.

Badawi emphasized that the settlement of investment partners’ outstanding payments, regular monthly payments, and new investment incentives have created stronger conditions for companies to expand operations in Egypt.

He added that improving production economics through balanced investment policies would encourage further adoption of advanced extraction methods.

The minister said increasing domestic production is critical to reducing the financial burden associated with importing petroleum products and liquefied natural gas to meet local demand.

He noted that every additional barrel produced locally contributes positively to Egypt’s economy and strengthens national energy security.