The Zohr field – the largest gas field in Egypt – is awaiting an important step, within the framework of the new well drilling campaign launched by the Italian company Eni. A giant drilling ship is scheduled to arrive in Egypt, to drill two new wells in the field located in the Mediterranean, with the aim of compensating for the production witnessed… A decline since the end of last year.
Santorini
The giant drilling ship may be the “Santorini” ship, which is currently operating in the Mopan oil field in Namibia, which is expected to arrive in Egypt starting from December 15. The mission of the “Santorini” ship in the Zohr field extends to 3 months, and it may be used to drill other wells. For the benefit of the Italian energy giant Eni, with the possibility of using another rig if the drilling ship’s mission is not completed within the specified period.
Sources in the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum indicated that the giant drilling ship may be the “Santorini” ship, which is currently operating in the Mopan oil field in Namibia, and is expected to arrive in Egypt starting from December 15, and no later than the end of the same month.
The sources explained that the mission of the ship “Santorini” in the Zohr field is scheduled to extend to 3 months, and it may be used to drill other wells for the Italian energy giant Eni, with the possibility of using another rig if the drilling ship’s mission is not completed within the specified period.
Zohr field production
On October 7 (2024), a source in the Ministry of Petroleum stated that the field’s production continued to decline to about 1.8 billion cubic feet of gas per day, from 1.9 billion cubic feet during the first half of this year.
During the last fiscal year 2023-2024, the average production of the giant Zohr field stabilized at about two billion cubic feet per day of gas, and the volume of investments in field activities reached more than 677 million dollars.
The field’s reserves fell to third place among the largest gas fields in the Eastern Mediterranean, after the Israeli Leviathan and Tamar fields.
Production compensation efforts
On October 23, the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, Engineer Karim Badawy, revealed during a press conference the axes of the ministry’s work during the current stage and the initial performance indicators during the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-2025, and the targets for the new year 2025, most important of which is the necessity of focusing on production activities and accelerating As quickly as possible, according to the statement issued by the Egyptian Council of Ministers.
Badawi reviewed the most important activities of Eni, which will resume drilling work in the Zohr field, with the rig arriving at the field during the month of December (2024), to drill two wells, with the aim of returning the production plan to before drilling work stopped by introducing new production of up to 220 million cubic feet. Daily, rigs enter the onshore concession area of Agiba Company to begin drilling work, with 3 rigs entering to drill new wells and 2 rigs to repair the wells.
Badawi pointed out the most prominent features of next year 2025, which are represented in 5 main points, which include accelerating the pace of development and production activities, which will help compensate for the natural decline, increase production, reduce the import bill, and accelerate exploration activities, which will lead to accelerating the addition of new reserves.
