Eni, a major oil and gas player in Africa, has made an oil discovery on the A-2X exploration prospect which is located in South West Meleiha license, in the Egyptian Western Desert, about 103Km North of the oasis of Siwa
The well is the first one drilled by Eni to explore the deep geological sequences of the Faghur Basin.
“The exploratory well, named SWM A-2X, has been drilled to a total depth of 5,090 metres and encountered 18 metres of light oil in the Paleozoic sandstones of Dessouky Formation of Carboniferous age. The well has also encountered other hydrocarbon levels in the Alam El Bueib sandstones of Cretaceous Age,” said Eni.
The well has been opened to production in the Dessouky sandstones and delivered 2,300 bopd of light oil and 0.4 mmscfd of associated gas.
The discovery on A-2X prospect follows the North African country’s target to achieve more oil and gas exploration potential, to drive economic growth. Eni, with its prominent presence in Egypt’s oil and gas exploration landscape, is set to help the government in achieving this target.
Recently, Italy’s oil and gas major has announced the start-up of the second production unit (T-1) of the Zohr project, located in the off the coast of Egypt, which is expected to increase installed capacity by 400 mmscfd, about four months after the field’s start-up. Zohr now has a capacity of 800 mmscfd, equivalent to 150,000 boepd.
Commenting on the oil discovery at the Faghur Basin, which will require appraisal activities, Eni further unveils plans to drill other exploratory prospects located nearby A2-X discovery, aiming to open up a new productive area in Egypt.
Based on Competent Authority’s approval, the production is expected to be linked to already existing nearby infrastructures and then shipped to El Hamra Terminal through existing pipelines.
Eni, through its subsidiary IEOC, holds a 100 per cent stake in South West Meleiha license. IEOC through its Operating Company AGIBA, which is equally held by IEOC and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), currently produces 55,000 boepd, from the Egyptian Western Desert.
