Egypt to Restore 60 Million Cubic Feet from Well 13 at Zohr Gas Field

Egypt is preparing to bring Well 13 at the Zohr gas field back online this December, targeting a production rate of 60 million cubic feet per day, according to a senior government official who spoke exclusively to Bloomberg. 

The well had been out of service for over a year due to seawater intrusion.

The official, who requested anonymity, explained that Well 13 is the third well in Eni’s plan to restore four wells previously shut down because of water infiltration between rock layers, which mixed with the natural gas and forced a halt in production.

Discovered in 2015 and commencing production in December 2017, Zohr is the largest gas field in the Mediterranean and currently accounts for approximately 35% of Egypt’s total gas output, which stands at 4.2 billion cubic feet per day. Domestic demand, however, reaches about 6.2 billion cubic feet daily, highlighting the strategic importance of restoring capacity.

Production at Zohr peaked in 2022 at 3.2 billion cubic feet per day but has since declined, falling to 2.4 billion in 2023, 1.9 billion in 2024, and currently standing at 1.25 billion cubic feet per day.

The government official noted that the reactivation of these wells helps compensate for the natural decline rate, estimated at roughly 60 million cubic feet per month. Eni had previously resumed production from Well 9 in October, restoring 70 million cubic feet per day after a similar water-related shutdown.

Looking ahead, the drilling rig Saipem 10000 will be redeployed to restore the fourth well in the plan once Well 13 is fully connected to Egypt’s national gas network, a milestone expected in early 2026.

The initiative comes as Egypt faces a widening gap between domestic gas supply and demand, prompting accelerated exploration and drilling activity across the country. International energy companies, including Chevron, are now expanding operations in the Western Mediterranean.

To attract further investment, the Egyptian government has introduced new incentives for foreign partners, such as allowing the export of a portion of new production to settle dues and increasing the profit share of international gas partners.