Irish company Petroceltic is expected to begin drilling next year at one of its prospects close to Eni’s recent huge gas find offshore Egypt
Petroceltic holds two licences, one awarded in 2013 and the other late last year, about five kilometres west of Eni’s Zohr find. Petroceltic’s North Thekah and North Port Fouad licences cover a combined acreage of about 7,000 sqkm, compared to about 100 sqkm which is the area of the Zohr field.
The Zohr field is being called one of the world’s largest natural gas fields, potentially holding about 30 trillion cubic feet of gas. Being in close proximity to it, the two licences held by Petroceltic are being considered quite exciting too.
It is understood that Petroceltic will drill at the North Thekah licence next year, after receiving results from 3D seismic activity before the end of this year. It is also believed that a 3D survey, similar to the programme carried out at North Thekah, will be undertaken at North Port Fouad.
Speaking last year, at the time of the North Port Fouad licence award, Brian O’Cathain, Petroceltic’s CEO, had said that the company’s new Egyptian blocks are located in an area of the Mediterranean Sea which had yielded several world class discoveries in the recent years. Eni’s recent find validates that statement nicely.
