Shell Advances Egypt's Gas Exploration with Promising Mediterranean Discovery

Energy major Shell has reported encouraging early results from its first exploratory well of 2026 in Egypt’s Mediterranean waters, signaling potential additions to the country’s natural gas reserves.

The well, known as “Sirius 1X,” was drilled in the Northeast El Amriya concession area and reached its target depth of 2,115 meters. 

Preliminary data indicates promising gas-bearing formations within the “Sirius” exploratory layer, raising prospects for future development. Officials suggest that a development decision could be made as early as 2027 if further analysis confirms commercial viability.

The Sirius 1X well marks the first exploratory drilling activity undertaken by Shell this year as part of its broader strategy to expand gas exploration and production in Egypt’s Mediterranean concessions. The company had initiated its drilling campaign with two wells, “Mina West 2” and “Sirius”, in the same offshore zone.

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, recently visited the site to review progress, underscoring the government’s focus on boosting domestic gas output amid evolving energy demands.

The project reflects close collaboration between Shell, Kuwait’s KUFPEC, and the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, EGAS. By leveraging geological and technical data obtained from drilling the nearby “Mina West 2” well, the partners were able to optimize operations at Sirius 1X and avoid the need for an additional data-gathering well, resulting in significant cost savings.